Leadership (Abuja)
Metainfo_end
23 May 2008
The Obong of Calabar, Etubom Efio-Ete Bassey, has accused Governor Liyel Imoke of Cross River State, Senator Bassey Ewah Henshaw, Senator Florence Ita-Giwa and the self-acclaimed paramount ruler of Bakassi, Etim Okon Edet, of diversion of about N1 billion voted for resettlement of displaced Bakassi indigenes in Cameroon.
The Obong of Calabar made this known when he paid a courtesy visit to the corporate headquarters of LEADERSHIP newspapers, along with his entire traditional cabinet, yesterday in Abuja.
The Federal Government according to the paramount ruler, had voted about N1 billion for the resettlement of Nigerians who were displaced from the disputed oil-rich Bakassi community but said the huge amount of money is being diverted for personal expenditure by Imoke and his political gang.
"No one is relocating from Bakassi to Cross River State. Yet there is about N1 billion which the Federal Government budgeted for the relocation of the displaced Bakassi people. Our governor, Senator Florence Ita-Giwa, Senator Bassy Ewah Henshaw and one fake paramount ruler of Bakassi, Etim Okon Edet, are profiting from it. They claim to be from Bakassi but none of them is from Bakassi", the Obong stated.
He particularly accused governor Imoke of encouraging and sponsoring militants in the state for selfish political motives, which according to him is creating a state of insecurity in the oil- producing areas of the state.
"We are waging a war on discouraging governor Imoke from sponsoring militants in Cross River State; we are worried about our people being used for criminal activities by the governor", the paramount ruler stated.
The Obong used the occasion to explain the seeming crisis in the Obong of Calabar tussle, accusing the governor of interfering in the traditional matters for selfish political reasons.
According to him, "I was duly crowned as Obong of Calabar; but a few people said otherwise and we went to court. But the governor is interfering with the judicial process. We are saying if the governor and his people have any case against us, let them go to court of law for redress."
He expressed serious concern over the state of the Niger Delta region, attributing the problems to the uneven distribution of wealth in the region.
A professional journalist who is a one-time chairman of the Cross River State council of the Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ), he commended the consistent role of LEADERSHIP newspapers in championing democratic norms and values, free society, anti-corruption and by extension giving voice to the voiceless.
"I am happy and honoured to associate with LEADERSHIP. You are the last hope of the common people in Nigeria. You have consistently stood firm against corruption and don't give up until we recover our wealth from a few elite who in the last eight years appropriated our common wealth to themselves", the Obong of Calabar said.
Earlier, while welcoming the paramount ruler and his cabinet, the chairman/editor-in-chief of LEADERSHIP Newspapers Group, Mr. Sam Nda-Isaiah, commended him for his consistent progressive views on national issues. '
Mr. Nda-Isaiah said the country would be a better place for everybody to live in if many traditional rulers followed the path of righteousness and truth like the Obong of Calabar.
"Until the court decides otherwise, you are the Obong of Calabar we know", the chairman said.
Those who accompanied the Obong of Calabar to the corporate headquarters of LEADERSHIPincluded: Etubom Nya Asuquo (prime minister), Etubom Ekpeyong Ayi (chairman of cabinet), Etubom Ambrose Akparuika, Etubom Archibong Archibong Omon and Etubom Efio-Eke Bassey.
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