By Chukwudi Nweke
The raging war in Cross Rivers politics is not about to abate as former governor, Senator Liyel Imoke has knocked his predecessor, Donald Duke, even as he insisted that he has no regrets for his autocratic style of leadership.
In his widely circulated “statement of return” to PDP, Duke had ascribed the crisis that prompted the defection of Governor Ben Ayade and some of his political aides from the party to the All Progressives Congress (APC).
But Imoke, who was elected governor of Cross River State in 2007 and 2011, in his response to Duke’s allegation told journalists that his “so-called autocratic leadership” was what led to the success of the party in the state during his era.
“I have no regrets; as I said, the only authority that has the benefit of hindsight is God. So you can’t say I regret or I don’t regret, no; certainly not, I have no regrets. I believe this (autocratic leadership) to be the key to our success, which has been acknowledged beyond the party and the state and even by Donald himself as evidenced by his return to the party.”
Following the exit of Ayade from PDP, which has changed political calculation in the state, PDP in it response had attempted to put up major show of strength and cohesion, holding rallies headlined by its remaining big wigs in the state and invitees from outside the state.
This is even as the two former governors continue to trade blame on whose administration and leadership supervised what many of the followers of the developments in the state between 1999 and 2015, described as ‘carnage’.
The events have also witnessed the thrusting into the limelight, senator representing Cross River Central, Sandy Onoh whose posters for the 2023 governorship race have flooded the state with some party faithful saying he is the only candidate currently in the party that can defeat the APC in the coming general elections.
With governorship expected to rotate to Cross River south, this may be a major test of Senator Imoke’s touted mastery as the political “Avatar” of Cross River politics.