January 25, (THEWILL) – The Senator representing Cross River North in the National Assembly, Jarigbe Agom Jarigbe, says the immediate past governor of the state, Professor Ben Ayade, wasted eight years as governor.
Senator Jarigbe, who disclosed this in a statement made available in Calabar, called for a comprehensive probe of the former governor.
The lawmaker also accused Ayade of looting the state dry for eight years without completing one known useful or functional project, saying the former governor’s administration was a monumental failure and therefore he should be made to account for his stewardship.
He said, “It’s only in Cross River State that a Governor will loot for 8 years, without completing one known useful or functional project and walk away proudly without a probe.
“That is what gives him the impetus to be lobbying for a ministerial appointment. Do we know how many lives we have lost to maladministration and deprivation of the people to satisfy other people’s quest for primitive acquisition?
“How many of the food-on-the-table beneficiaries are sure of their next meal today? It was just a manipulative ploy to distract our people because of the fear of hunger.
“We compromised our future and development of the State for Rice and Beans. What was the percentage of the total income of the State spent on food-on-the-table?
“It was a very negligible percentage. Where did the rest of the funds go? How is the new Government taking off? Was there anything left in the Treasury of the State?”
He called for Ayade’s interrogation by the country’s antigraft agencies and also asked him to give answers to the people of the state on the numerous questions surrounding his governance of the state.
Efforts to get Professor Ayade’s reaction have proved abortive and his media team have yet to respond to Senator Jarigbe’s position.
THEWILL Correspondent, Aniekan Bassey has over six years experience that spans across several fields in print journalism including development communication, sexual reproductive and health rights issues, crime, climate change, social justice, business and human interest stories.
