…Wants Assembly to commence impeachment processes
From: JUDEX OKORO, Calabar
A group, the Cross River Transparency Network International (CRTNI), says it has concluded arrangement to oragnise a one-million-man march to protest against Governor Ben Ayade’s frequent foreign trips.
The group also called on the State House of Assembly to commence the process of impeachment against the governor for what they called ‘mal-administration since he assumed mantle of leadership.’
Coordinator of the group, Comrade Jonathan Agbor, who made the call while addressing newsmen in Calabar, on Monday, said since assumption of office in May 2015, Governor Ayade had travelled overseas more than any governor in the history of this country under the pretext of looking for investors for the state.
Agbor said it has, therefore, become imperative for the state Assembly to impeach Ayade for violating constitutional provisions of frequently travelling abroad without handing over to his deputy.
Agbor said since Ayade came on board he has spent more days in Abuja and abroad than he has spent in the state, adding that out of 365 days in a year he spends less than 100 days in his office in Calaabr.
According to him, out of four or sometimes five weeks in a month he spends a minimum of ten days which is about a week and three days.
Consequent upon this, he has abandoned his constructional duties of administering the state o the deputy governor, Prof Ivara Esu, just as he left unattended to major issues that needed his attention.
The Coordinator, who claimed that the group is committed to ensuring transparency of governance in the state, stated that in the cause of the travelling Ayade tax-payers money are being spent on the trips.
Insisting that such travels have crippled activities of the state, he disclosed that the state has signed over one hundred (100) MoUs abroad and with little or no benefit to the common man.
According to him, it is quite unconstitutional for the governor to have travelled abroad since July 23, 2017 in the name of sourcing for investors that never came and called on stakeholders to also rise against the rule-from-abroad style of Ayade.
He said: “Ayade has committed impeachable offences including abandoning the state for over one month now and travelled abroad. His long absence has crippled administration at all levels.
“He has not been implementing the budget even when he swore an oath to protect and uphold the principles of the constitution which includes working within the framework of the constitution. But we can make bold to say that 90 per cent of the projects implemented by Ayade’s administration is not in the budget.
“Ayade has also made it difficult for his aides, commissioners and civil service to function due to non-payment of impress to agencies, commissions and ministries even when some of them generate revenues, but he spends millions of naira globe-trotting.
“Ayade runs a close system whereby only him and his close families led by Frank Ayade can have access to contracts. We can tell you authouritatively that most commissioners don’t even know how contracts are awarded as they are discreetly reverted to Frank who does internal bidding and selection processes while the paper advert is a smokescreen.
“In view of all these, we call on the Hose of Assembly and the critical stakeholders to please intervene and invoke relevant provisions to impeach Ayade. Already we have made arrangement to oragnise a one-million man march to protest against mal-administration and illegal travelling. Our Mumumu don do”