By Stanley Ekpenyong, South-South Bureau Chief
A human rights activist and investigative journalist, Agba Jalingo, has alleged that the Cross River State Governor, Senator Bassey Otu is facing intense blackmail from some aides of the immediate past Governor of the State, Professor Ben Ayade, over his (Otu) resolve to recover all Government vehicles allegedly still being held by the aides.
Jalingo, who is the Publisher/ Editor-in-Chief of a local newspaper, CrossRiverWatch, said some of the officials of the Ayade administration who worked for the emergence of Otu have vowed to work against him at the Election Petition Tribunal and ensure he is sacked should he continue to insist that they return the vehicles.
The former aides allegedly went away with about 500 government vehicles.
In a Facebook post, Jalingo, who hails from Obudu Local Government as former Governor Ayade further revealed that most of the appointees in the former government that are being trailed by Governor Otu’s Taskforce on recovery of Government assets are very angry and have resorted to seeking the former Governor’s intervention.
Jalingo: “Let’s Pray hard for Governor Otu…If we don’t, then we may have moved from frying pan to fire.
First, the Anti-Deforestation Committee is populated by timber thieves who are emotionally blackmailing him with “na we work for your election.” And now, the vehicle recovery task force is being emasculated. Out of 500 missing vehicles, they have recovered 49. Most of the appointees in the former Government that are being trailed by the task force members are so angry and have resorted to seeking the former Governor’s intervention. And now they are again, emotionally blackmailing the new governor with his pending matter in the election petition tribunal.
It’s like, “you want to embarrass members of the last government right? Your government we worked hard to install? We will embarrass you at the tribunal and you will lose the seat.” That’s the drama playing out. So everyone the task force tracks a vehicle to now, they make calls and the new governor is like, “please let that one be for now.” Who wan lose governor seat?
Several vehicles have been tracked to different locations across the State and even as far as Lagos. One was even recovered in Ikoyi, Lagos and seized with the help of operatives of the DSS. But phone calls to the Governor have made nonsense of all those commendable efforts. My people, it may well be said that the assignment of that task force may have shared premature grace, unless Governor Otu, can damn the subtle blackmails, fund the committee adequately, stop interfering to hamper their operations and give them a free hand to move on all those involved.God please, don’t let us enter another one chance.
 resolve to recover all Government vehicles allegedly still being held by the aides.){kind=link}