Nigeria: Defer Bakassi Handover, C-River Nass Caucus Urges FG

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Vanguard (Lagos)

25 July 2008
Posted to the web 25 July 2008

Emmanuel Aziken

THE Cross River State caucus in the National Assembly yesterday charged the federal authorities to defer the August 14 scheduled final handover of Bakassi to Cameroon until after the election of a substantive Governor for the State.

The state caucus at a press briefing in the National Assembly also alleged a grand conspiracy to instigate the arrest of the State's immediate past Governor, Senator Liyel Imoke to the intent of preventing his participation in the yet to be scheduled gubernatorial re-run election.

Nine of the eleven members of the State delegation to the National Assembly at the press briefing addressed by the caucus chairman, Senator Bassey Ewa-Henshaw pointed at shadowy elements in very high places who it accused of plotting to use the yet to be released report of the House of Representatives probe into the power sector as a platform for the alleged witch-hunt.

Imoke who was recently sacked by the Court of Appeal as Governor of Cross River State was chairman of the technical board of the defunct National Electric Power Authority (NEPA) and subsequently Minister of Power and Steel during the Obasanjo administration.

Whilst affirming Imoke's capacity to defend himself, the legislators nevertheless vowed not to keep quiet in the face of what they claimed as a grand conspiracy to destabilize their State.

Noting the August 14, 2008 final handover of Bakassi to Cameroon, the caucus said:

"On Agusut 14, 2008, the official handing over of Bakassi to Cameroon by the Federal Government is due to take place.

Given the security implications of this move, we the representatives of our people in Cross River believe that the process should only take place and be supervised by a substantive Governor on seat.

What Cross River State needs more than anything in the run-up to this important event is enduring peace and not acts capable of plunging the State into turmoil an embarrassing our country."

Noting the plot to arrest Imoke, Ewa-Henshaw said:

"We have watched with growing disquiet, the unfolding vast conspiracy at the behest of invisible political predators to cause the arrest of His Excellency, Senator Liyel Imoke based on a shadowy premise bereft of any shred of evidence indicating malfeasance, corruption and abuse of office."

"What started as a mere whispering campaign of blackmail about two weeks ago after the court of Appeal judgment nullified the election of our Governor, has today metamorphosed into a full blown witch-hunt, a rampaging monster intent on exacting a pound of flesh and if possible destroying him completely at all costs," the caucus alleged.

Affirming that their response was instigated by a "deep sense of patriotism and responsibility as representatives of the people of Cross River State," the caucus leader condemned what he described as "the unfolding orchestrated plot to spring an ambush on Senator Liyel Imoke as being played out by his detractor with influence in very high places."

"We condemn in very strong terms, the on-going campaign to criminalise and stigmatise the former Governor using the still awaited report of the House Committee on the Power Sector as launch-pad."

"The current pastime is for some amorphous groups, paid by yet to be identified persons with the secret agenda to launch scathing media attacks on Imoke under the guise of promoting the anti-corruption crusade."

The caucus thus charged the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) not to fall prey to the antics of the groups it claimed were aligned against Imoke.

Among those present at the press conference yesterday were Senator Victor Ndoma-Egba (SAN), Rep. John Owan-Enoh, Rep. Bassey Ewa, Rep. Bassey Otu, Rep. Gabriel Edi, Rep, Chris Etta, Rep. Alex Ukam and Rep. Essien Ayi.

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