From Fred Itua, Abuja
Cross River State governor, Ben Ayade, has been accused of imposing a Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) member, Peter Odey Agbe as the All Progressives Congress (APC) governorship running mate in the state.
In a petition addressed to the national chairman, Abdullahi Adamu and signed by the chairman of the Cross River State Council For Good Governance (CRSCGG), James Udoh and the Secretary, Emmanuel Akpan, they accused Governor Ayade of imposing his political associate, Agbe who is a chieftain of the PDP as the running mate to Otu Bassey who is the governorship candidate.
In the petition followed with a court affidavit sworn at the Federal High Court. Abuja by Ekanem Bassey Asoquo said “Peter Odey Agbe is a registered member of the PDP and was.hitherto sponsored by the PDP to contest election in the State House of Assembly.
They further stated that the PDP issued them with the certificate of returns having won the election to represent his state constituency in the state.
According to the petition to the national chairman of the APC, they argued that the group has checked the membership register of the APC in his ward, that as the time of their petition that they are still members of the PDP.
The petitioners said the name of Agbe “is not found in the APC register and yet, his name was imposed on the governorship candidate, Bassey Otu as his running mate.
According to the petitioners, “they knows it as a fact that even when the APC care taker committee extended their registration of exercise to all interest intending members, that Peter Odey Agbe never registered or revalidated his membership of the APC”, thus retaining his membership of the PDP
“That this is a ploy to by the governor. Ben Ayade to cause the APC to loose the gubernatorial election coming and ensure that he wins his senatorial ambition at the forth coming National Assembly election in the state”, the petitioners claimed.
In view of this, they petitioners asked the national chairman of the APC, “whether having regards to the express provisions of section 29 (1)and section 84 of the new electoral act and article 2 , 7(iv),(iv) (viii)(ix)(xii) and (xiii), 9 and 31 of the APC constitution, the defendent can validly jettison the interest of other eligible members to contest in the selected primaries by imposing on the party for election in the forthcoming elections, as a way to compensate them for alleged membership of the PDP by ignoring members of APC by way of automatic ticket and whether by the APC constitution that Peter Ode Agbe is a member of the APC.”
They explained that the APC governorship candidate, Prince Bassey Otu is helpless to protest because of the fear of the support of Governor Ayade.
The CRSCGG warned that the attention of the national chairman is to invited to address this a normally before the August 8 date for the substitution of all candidates in the governorship election across the country
Accordingly, the petitioners added, “The is true that you cannot put something on nothing and expect it to stand. Peter Odey is not a legitimate member of APC. He denied being a member in suit number FHC/ABJ/CS/976/2021.
“By extension to his own averments in the above suit, he has demonstrated bad faith in accepting to deputise Prince Otu having denied being a member of a political party he is now shamelessly parading himself as a member. What a political summersault by the Dishonourable member Peter Odey.
“You cannot approbate and reprobate at the same time, you can not blow hot and cold. It is on record and the evidence is there that Peter Odey, a stooge to the governor in an attempt to please the governor defected with the governor to APC and when sued by the PDP, he swore on oath that he is still a member of PDP.
“It is surprising to now see him accept the inglorious position to deputise sweet prince and if our part,” it read.