The battle for the soul of Cross River PDP, multiple party sources have disclosed, is being orchestrated by a powerful elements in the party bent on humiliating Governor Ben Ayade “for having one leg in our party, and one leg in APC”
“We Don’t Know How to Classify Him”
Many PDP eggheads, especially, the majority members of its National Leadership, the magazine was informed, regard the Governor as a mole in the party and, therefore, are determined to divest the Cross River structure of the PDP from him.
“We don’t even know how to classify him, but all we know is that he is APC body and soul, and only PDP in name.
“You can hardly find him at PDP events, not even during South South PDP leaders’ meetings, but he is always quick to speak elegantly of Buhari and his APC government, and this is a man who is supposed to be an opposition governor”, a member of the party’s National Working Committee, NWC, who pleaded anonymity told The source in Abuja.
He further claimed that “Ayade was billed to defect to the APC alongside Senator Florence Ita-Giwa when she left PDP but he decided to stay back at the last minute for a reason best known to him”
Recall that Senator Ita-Giwa has since returned to the PDP after a short spell in the APC.
One of the National Assembly members squaring up against the governor confirmed the alleged PDP gang up against the governor:
“Look at it this way. In terms of financial war chest, the governor has enormous resources at his disposal to run all of us out of the party, but this fight is not one money can sway, the battle to rescue Cross River PDP is being directed from above. Its therefore, not our personal fight, it’s the party’s fight”, he told the magazine.
Ayade Versus Cross River NASS Members
The elements within the national leadership of the PDP against Ayade are the same people, allegedly, primed on handing over the structure of the party in Cross River to some members of the National Assembly from the state.
The arrowhead of the National Assembly members’ take over plot is Jarigbe Agom Jarigbe, representing Ogoja/ Yala Federal constituency in the House of Representatives.
Not only is Jarigbe insistent on the initial ward Congress list which was heavily skewed against the governor, he has also thrown his hat in the race for the Cross River North Senatorial bye- election to replace the late Senator Rose Okoh who died in April. But, it is not likely to be east for him.
Ayade’s choice for the bye election is the state’s SUBEB Chairman, Dr.Stephen Odey.
Odey’s choice, it was gathered, was anchored on the belief that he would not rock the boat when it matters most.
This magazine has been informed that Odey’s triumph would be a major boost for Ayade’s dream of returning to the Senate after a tour of duty as governor in 2023.
It is believed that Odey will easily yield the position to Ayade in 2023, and not seek a re- election thus paving the way for the return of the governor to the Senate. Ayade represented Cross River North in the senate between 2011 and 2015
Jarigbe’s aspiration is therefore, a direct affront on the governor’s political interest.
Not all the National Assembly members from the state are, however, trenchantly feuding with the Governor over the ward congress list.
Some of them, like Senator Gershon Bassey, representing Cross River South, are preaching inclusiveness and consensus arrangement to resolve the crisis.
The 2023 Nexus
Who succeeds the Governor in 2023, this magazine has learnt, is also at the heart of the Cross River PDP crisis.
“A faction of the party in the state prodded on by some NWC members, are actually plotting to ensure that the Governor does not install his successor, The Source has been told.This, it has been learnt, is the major genesis of the congress’ list brouhaha.
“The intention is to take away the structure of the party from the Governor, and render him a king without a kingdom”, a source told the magazine.
Party sources informed this magazine that those against the governor are also trying to stop him from producing the next State Party Chairman.
Ayade is throwing up his loyalist, and Director-General of the state’s Due Process Office, Barrister Alphosus Ogar Eba as his candidate.
Like Odey, Barrister Eba hails from Yala Local Government Area of the state, the home local government of the late Senator Okoh
External Influence?
Fingers are pointing at a South south PDP Governor as the unseen figure behind the crisis.The said governor is, allegedly, working to install one of the Senators as Governor in 2023 in utter negation of the unwritten governorship rotational arrangement in the state.
In accordance with the arrangement, another round of rotation will commence in 2023 with the next governor coming from Cross River south, the three Senatorial districts having taken their turns since 1999: Donald Duke (south, 1999- 2007), Liyel Imoke (Central, 2007- 2015) Ayade (North, 2015-2023).
Defection on Ayade’s card?
Speculations are rife that the Governor will abandon the PDP if his traducers in the party succeed in hijacking the party’s structure from him.
So far, Ayade has maintained sealed lips concerning the rumoured defection, but a former Aviation Minister, Femi Fani-Kayode, has threatened, that many PDP bigwigs, including himself, will leave the party should Ayade be forced to defect.
Alluding to an external influence in the Cross River PDP crisis, the former minister said: ” “It would be a big mistake for the National Working Committee of the PDP to take the party structures in his state away from Ben Ayade, the Governor of Cross Rivers state, and hand them over to anyone else. If this is done and Ayade leaves the party be rest assured that many of us will leave with him.
“You cannot and must not undermine a sitting Governor or attempt to humiliate him in his own state and before his people. Some of those that are advocating and behind this nonsense would never allow it to happen in their own states. A word is enough for the wise.
“No-one, no matter how big or powerful, should think that they own the PDP. If there is any attempt to undermine Ayade it will spark off a crisis in the party that will split it right down the middle and the consequences will not be limited to Cross Rivers state.”
Amicable settlement underway
Meanwhile, there are indications that party leaders, at the National and State levels, are desirous of settling the crisis to the satisfaction of all the parties involved.
You will recall that the state congress was scheduled for August 8, but the need to have a united house in Cross River made the NWC to postpone it by one week to allow for amicable settlement. The reason also accounted for the latest postponement of the congress” a party source told the magazine.
Few days ago, Senator Gershon Bassey spoke of his solidarity with Ayade in the effort to find a middle course solution, denying that there were plans to hijack the party structure from the governor.
He said:“There were several contenders for several positions, so the leader of the party in the state, who is the Governor, decided that we should go for consensus. He has started talking to all stakeholders to achieve consensus.
“Sometimes consensus works because it means there is no victor, no vanquish, everybody has to queue into it. It makes the party stronger.
”You know we are in a political party and not a Church organization, there must always be a different point of view, that is normal for any political party. PDP and PDP in Cross River can be no different.”
Ayade is the Leader of Cross River PDP- Imoke
Meanwhile, former Governor Imoke has declared that Governor Ayade is the leader of PDP in the state, and must be recognized as such. He, however, advised the Governor to also accord Federal Lawmakers from the state their due as critical stakeholders in Cross River PDP.
Imoke’s position was contained in a press statement he released last week ahead the postponement state congress of the party.
Imoke : “Since the emergence of this democratic dispensation in 1999, Cross River State has always been a PDP stronghold. In 2019, our Party had an overwhelming victory at the polls, winning elections at all levels. The glory for that victory goes to God and to the support of the good people of Cross River State who have shown commitment and strongly supported the PDP through time.
“Over the last few months we have all observed the seeming dispute and differences within our great Party which emerged after the elections, in the build up to the Party Congresses. We have a tradition of managing and resolving disputes. I strongly believe that this one is no different from all the others.
“I hereby call on all stakeholders and party leaders to sheath their swords. This is a time to close ranks and not create factions. We need to work as a team under the leadership of the Governor. As Leader, it behoves the Governor to accommodate and protect the interests of all stakeholders and ensure balance and fairness. This has always been our way and I am confident that His Excellency will provide the necessary leadership. He should be accorded his due as Governor and Leader of our Party.
“I urge all our leaders at every level to use the opportunity of the State Congress to meet in caucus and resolve all differences, emerging as one united family. Every leader, from the Senators, members of the house of representatives, to the state assembly members and below, should be accorded their due and not be disrespected. They should reciprocate same to His Excellency. Our tradition of stakeholder consultation and concensus building should be applied over the next few days to guarantee successful outcomes”
