Traditional rulers in Yakurr LGA of Cross River State have accused Ben Ayade, the state governor of extorting N50k from each of them.

The royal father poured out their minds, relating their woes in the hands of governor Ben Ayade.

One of them said “traditional Rulers certificates are piled up there in the office, with the meagre stipends, they still come to extort us.

They will lie to us that they want to create more clans and collect 50k from us. If you don’t pay, they will threaten to withdraw your certificates.”

Supporters and members of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, in Cross River State have continue to greet the PDP Governorship Campaign currently traversing the state to garner support for the candidacy of Senator Sandy Onor and standard bearers of the party.

Speaking at the Yakurr interactive session with the People’s Democratic party campaign organisation, Mrs Comfort Uket, representing the women, told the campaign team that Yakurr women are fully prepared for the election.

She says people who are incompetent should not be allowed to rule this country. “We would do what we want and not what they want. There is no room for idiots in this country. We are tired of promise and fails.”

Chief Lekam Okoi, representing Elders Forum, assured the campaign organisation that PDP was just a step to the throne. The party, he said, would produce the next governor of the state. “We must love ourselves and speak the truth as we campaign around.

We respect the team, and let us not forget that we need to work harder to get there.

We must shun double deals during polls.

Theohpilous Ewa representative of the Youths stated this, “We are strongly behind this project. We have suffered too much.

No gratutity for our parents. Insecurity, cultism, and nepotism have been elevated to state art. But dont forget the Yakurr youths if elected.

The governorship candidate of PDP, Senator Sandy Onor, assured them that women would be promoted in his administration because they already have a woman deputy governorship candidate.
Alluded to the fact women voting strength is very high so his administration must devise a means to impact on women.

For the youths, he stated that the age of deception would be swept away and the age of reality would be put in place. We shall re-appraise our policy and engage the youths responsibly. We would create opportunities for youths to earn legitimate means.

Youths should begin to realize the antics of Ayade. The Govt must be run on truth and accountability. I got TETFUND to fund the IMT because Ayade abandoned it.

Senator Sandy stressed that from the day Ayade took over, it has been destruction and collapse of the system.

He put in monies into projects that would never be finished. Today, the state has nothing to commission. So we must show responsibilities. He advised the Yakurr people not to forget their history.

“It is important you know your history. I have a direct relationship between my people and the Yakurr people. We had lived together and shared cutlural roots. I am one of you.
Pleases vote for me and all PDP candidates. Be your brothers keeper and let old Obubra also have their turn. I have a doubled barrel experience to run the state.”

He told the packed full hall PDP leaves impact wherever they go. Emphasising that the candidates have capacity and originality and him as governor, together they shall perform and consult with you.

He appealed that they should close ranks and vote for the PDP. Yakurr is too critical to be left alone, he said. once we clear NASS seats, thegovernorshipp would be awalkoverr.

He them not to allow themselves to be threatened not to vote. The people should come out and vote massively for PDP.

At the meeting with the traditional rulers of Yakurr, express hisjoy ton seeing the royal father’s which has afforded him the privilege to address them.

He reiterated the need for the people to come together and enforce a change through the ballot. He pointed at that even in this hal, there is no light.

Your stipends are nothing to write home about. You settle all land and other matters, yet you don’t get an allowance that should encourage you to serve us well.

He advised the chiefs to always tell the truth,stating that if a chief can not tell himself the truth, he is not capable of the throne he sits on. “Please tell us the truth.

Even if they withdraw your certificate, provided your people are with you, no problem. When people give you their mandate, they donate their trust to you.

Tell them the truth. We have come with a new order. Never have we had a government that tells us lies, and I will never lie to you.

You remember when Donald was governor of this state, there was never a path in this state he did not touch. Liyel came and consolidated what Duke started. Then came Ayade, who institutionalized lies.”

He told the chiefs that when APC governmencameme them, the peoplshouldld ask them what they have to show in Yakurr. “When they come, ask them to show you what they have done in Yakurr.
Let them show you the projects that they initiated and complete. Those who have done well have endorsed me. Once I’m voted into the office, the local government system will begin to function. When the local government begins to function, you will feel it.

There is no civil service anywhere in the state. Teachers are not promoted. Gratuity has not been paid since the inception of this administration.”

The former governor and chairman of the campaign organisation, Mr Donald Duke, gave the people an analogy, citing the case of a sick person and who should be the right person to handle the sick patient.

“When you’re sick and you go to the hospital, you look for an appropriate doctor, a specialist to treat you.” He concluded that Sandy is the appropriate person to rescue this state.

Mr Duke went memory lane, pointing to his his eight years as governor. He never met Ayade. He is a completely new person to me. He is a kind-hearted man. Leadership is not sharp or maradonic. You don’t have to play everybody.

Even in Obudu, there are complaining, he destroyed their farms for road, Cargo Airport. I feel very sorry for them. The next four years will be tough for any person who becomes governor.
He has to draw water from stone. The only person who will deliver this state is Sen Sandy Onor. The office of the governor is not a training college. Let’s join hands and make this state work again.

OBOL OFEM IKPI OGBOR who spoke un behalf of Yakurr traditional rulers, welcome the campaign organisation team and told them that the PDP governorship candidate, Who is refered to as ‘The Original Caterpillar’ is a soothsayer because he has x-rayed the Traditional institution in CRS, we have been relegated to the background.

We have 44 clan heads in Yakurr, and in Ugep alone, we have 149 village Heads.BLess than 50% of them are receiving stipends. We don’t sleep in our houses with our two eyes closed.

We already see hope in Sen Sandy Onor. Let your words resemble your person. The majority of the people seated here are retired civil servants. We have not been paid gratuities.

The royal father poured out their minds, relating their woes in the hands of governor Ben Ayade.”Traditional Rulers certificates are piled up there in the office, with the meagre stipends, they still come to extort us.

They will lie to us that they want to create more clans and collect 50k from us. If you don’t pay, they will threaten to withdraw your certificates.”