The task of State building from the very earliest times, has had the misfortune of always being hijacked by slimmy opportunists.
From the time when statehood itself was still very nascent, philosophers began to propound variegated ways for majority of the people in society to always put such inordinate ambition in check.
When men who life, time, chance and all the elements have combined to elevate in the most adorable manner, decide to take their luck too far, they must also be ready to contend with a higher grace that elevated those they want to contend.
Senator John Owan Eno, is one of such persons who grace has found in the most amazing way.
His political history and meteoric rise from a University lecturer to two term member of the Cross River State House of Assembly to three term member of the House of Representatives and to Senator, is a tale that is one-too-few.
I can’t think of anyone else in our State who has had such good fortune.
Now the Senator wants to drag his fortune to the dogs.
He has declared to become governor of Cross River state at a time when the most reasonable thing for him to do is to abide with the same parameters that took him thus far.
Get me right! Senator Owan Eno by all standards is qualified to be governor of Cross River state, but he has chosen to move against the system that has worked in his favor for over two decades.
He wants to undo the rungs that he climbed to his present place. He has been beguiled by the dent of inordinate ambition.
Let’s not go too far back, just as recent as 2015 when Owan Eno wanted to become Senator, power brokers in Cross River state sacrificed one of the finest senators this country will ever see, a sprawling voice in the National Assembly, a Senior Advocate of Nigeria and Leader of the 7th Senate, Victor Ndoma Egba.
He had to be sacrificed in the most uncharitable manner for the ambition of Hon. Owan Eno to become Senator.
Then candidate Ben Ayade, accompanied Hon. Owan Eno in a bullet proof bus to Senator Ndoma Egba’s house in Ikom during the campaigns and they were stoned by angry youths.
Some damage was done to the bus. So many long standing relationships were strained, friends became enemies, all in a bid to make Owan Eno Senator.
All the brouhaha, all the tense moments, all the sympathy then was about one thing, “zoning” and how some LGAs within the central senatorial district have not produced this and that. At that time, zoning was cool.
The same zoning arrangment which has been raised repeatedly as a banner to elevate Owan Eno through his political journey, is today being threatened by one of its most lavish beneficiary.
Anyone who threads such a path, threads the path of ignominy. And it appears the Senator has arrived the brink. Even the elements that have bore you, will dispense of you.
In his notice of declaration which I have read online, Senator Owan Eno made some hackneyed claims without statistics.
I expected someone who wants to be governor to talk facts not baseless claims from gobbled words.
Let us break it down:
“My inspiration to take a shot at this contest is drawn from a deep reflection of the prevailing decadence in the style of governance that we have seen in the last three and a half years.”
-Owan Eno
It’s not time to reel out statistics. If the Senator were good enough to come out with stats, we would have counter balanced them.
But while we await his stats, let me respond with some of the truth that has been said by the leader of Owan Eno’s party, a father and statesman, Mr. Integrity and President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, Muhammadu Buhari about Ayade’s three years in office.
“I must say that visiting the state for the second time within three years in connection with people-oriented and flagship projects of Governor Ayade is very welcome and very satisfying to me.”
-PMB on a visit to Calabar.
Read another wild claim without stats:
“There is no doubt that the State is today mired in a downward spiral-bind of unpalatable human development indicators. Unfortunately, the foundation that was laid in the State by the first two administrations at the turn of this 4th Republic in 1999 and the enormous goodwill the State garnered prior to the inception of this administration in 2015, have been drastically eroded.”
-Owan Eno
Now the man did not give us any development indicator he is ranting about. Just wild baseless claims. Again, no facts to counter balance. He just went on to praise previous administrations to curry favor.
But again, let me still answer with another quote from the leader of Owan Eno’s party when he visited Calabar to see for himself. He encouraged other states to copy His Excellency, Governor Ayade’s vision.
“It is evident also that by conceiving projects such as these, Governor Ayade has a keen eye for tomorrow; focusing on projects that are building a new economic base for the State rather than projects with short term benefits for the purpose of making cheap political gains. I sincerely commend Your Excellency’s vision. As our country makes steady and assured progress towards self-sufficiency in food production, it is therefore, my hope and expectation that other states that are yet to fully take advantage of the zero-oil economic roadmap of the Federal Government will take a cue from Cross River.”
-PMB after visiting Calabar to see for himself.
Then the Senator begins another wild goose chase.
“We are faced with an enormous task of rebuilding our State from the ruins of misgovernance and lackluster disposition to the yearnings of our people. No one among us needs to be reminded of our State’s pride of place in the comity of states in Nigeria before the emergence of the current administration. Those achievements that were recorded within 16years from 1999-2015 and the stirling legacies that we were bequeathed with have all been torn into shreds while our beloved State is now tittering on the brink of imminent suffocation.”
I wish the Senator was brilliant enough to mention those achievements from 1999-2015. I would have yet put His Excellency, Governor Ayade’s own side by side. But because they are not talking facts yet, let me still ignore that and respond again with another quote from the leader of Owan Eno’s party.
“When we assumed the reins of leadership of our dear country, this administration launched a zero-oil economic roadmap as a way of making our country less dependent on oil, while encouraging investments in other sectors of the economy, particularly agriculture. I am happy that Governor Ayade keyed into that policy and has today become one of the reference points in our agricultural revolution effort. Our gathering here today is no doubt a determination woven through to precision and a glowing testament to the fact that the policy is working……
“I feel the warmth of your embrace and the passion in your gaze. The future of Cross River State is certain. I am one with you on this.”
–PMB in Calabar.
So oga Senator, Cross River is not facing any imminent suffocation. That is just in your warped imagination. Our President, the leader of your party has said that the future of Cross River state is certain with Governor Ayade.
Then hear some wishful thinking:
“Given the very precarious situation of the State at this time, I believe that visionary and transformational leadership with introspective thinking and innovative solutions to our socio-economic woes is urgently desirable to rapidly move the State forward in order for us to achieve our full potentials as a people.
-Owan Eno
Someone should tell the Senator that those issues have been sorted out and more are being sorted as we write and President Buhari, the leader of Owan Eno’s party is already aware.
Hear him:
“With Governor Ayade’s other investments in agriculture such as the ongoing construction of an Ultra-modern Rice Mill in Ogoja, the Cotton Farm in Yala, the Cocoa Processing Plant in Ikom and the Banana Plantation in Odukpani, the feed Mill and Yellow Maize Farm in Obubra as well as the Ultra-modern Poultry Farm for export of frozen chicken amongst others, it is clear that Cross River has found a pathway to ease itself from over reliance on federal allocation.”
-PMB said this in Calabar after seeing for himself.
Now, that’s innovative thinking. That is transformational leadership with practicable solutions.
Those responses are from Owan Eno’s party leader and President of our country. That is his verdict on Governor Ayade.
If Owan Eno doubts that verdict, I dare him to stand on the campaign podium and call Mr. President a liar.
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