By Musa Yaro, Calabar
ASHENEWS reports that a former governor of Cross River State, Mr. Donald Duke, has claimed that the state governor, Prof. Ben Ayade, is allegedly telling lies in the course of governance instead of facing the realities on the ground.
Duke made the claim during an interactive session with members of the traditional rulers’ council in the Odukpani local government area of the state, ahead of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) governorship campaign.
According to Duke, the situation has become worrisome because no industries or projects as widely acclaimed by Ayade have seen the light of day.
“Of all the advertised industries or projects he has acclaimed as the biggest in Africa during ground-breaking ceremonies, none has seen the light of day; every gain we have achieved as a state from 1999 to 2015 has been wiped out in a jiffy.”
Duke who wondered why Ayade should be telling lies to the citizenry, said, “Governance in our state under Ayade has become a mockery because our present governor lacks integrity.”
“We are now a laughing stock on the national and global stage and our budget themes since 2016 have become comic reliefs,” he said.
Duke said he supports the PDP governorship candidate, Prof. Sandy Onor, based on his vision, intellectual acumen, integrity, and capacity, which are all ingredients of governance, instead of toeing the path of the governorship candidate from his senatorial district, who he said lacks the rare qualities.
“I don’t have any issue with Prince Otu, who is the APC governorship candidate, but Ayade has become his greatest albatross; fruit can not fall far from the tree, and we need a man with temerity to redeem our state from the quagmire we have found ourselves in with Ayade,” Duke said.
He further said that “we cannot elongate the misnomer under the guise of zoning, and we can not accept drinking water from a leprous hand.”
On competency instead of zoning, the former governor argued that “no patient in a critical or emergency condition at the hospital can afford to wait for the doctor from his village when his or her life is at stake.”
He maintained that “this is the scenario facing us, besides, a good friend is better than a bad brother.”
