Ayade Scuttles Cross River LG Polls

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BY UBON EKANEM, CALABAR – The Cross River State Independent Electoral Commission (CROSIEC) is in a fix over the conduct of its proposed June 17, 2017 Local Government Elections, following Governor Ben Ayade’s directive to all Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) aspirants to shun the Commissions activities for now.
CROSIEC had published its elections’ timetable and also directed aspirants to ‘the councilorship and chairmanship positions in the 18 Local Government Councils to commence preparations, purchase forms and comply with other electoral guidelines as enunciated by it.
But in a swift reaction, the Governor, Senator Ayade ordered aspirants within PDP fold back to their various Local Governments, wards and constituencies with a view to adopt consensus candidates. By this directive, all the names picked during the exercise will be forwarded to the Government House, Calabar for final adoption and sponsorship.
According to sources in the electoral body, Governor Ayade’s position is considered a backstroke meant to throw spanner into the works of the electoral commission, especially as it relates to denying CROSIEC the opportunity to generate funds for its activities in the face of scarce resources to organise the polls.
The sources also volunteered that worse hit by the Governor’s directives are the PDP Executives at all levels who were already warming up to rake in millions of Naira in revenue through the sales of nomination forms to aspirants.
Insiders in CROSIEC hinted Forefront that all is not well with the Commission and some members are tired of the Governor’s overbearing attitude and interference in their activities even when he is yet to release funds for the smooth and hitch-free conduct of the elections.
However, when approached on this knotty issue, a top ranking aide of Governor Ayade reacted angrily that “His Excellency is merely trying to prevent anarchy within the party as most aspirants are likely to come up with frivolous claims of having spent so much only to be told to step down.”
The aide, who insisted on anonymity, also stated that “if any member of the PDP State EXCO should grumble, he or she would be very unfair to the Governor as they would have forgotten so soon how they emerged as EXCO members as well as the fact that apart from being state EXCO members of PDP, they also double as political appointees to the Governor.”
However, political pundits in the state are already up in arms spitting fire and describing the Governor’s stand as a ‘meddlesome approach’ to what should purely be a party affair and CROSIEC’s statutory function.
With the unfolding events in the State, there is also the palpable fear that the June 17, 2017 Local Government Elections may not hold as scheduled until the Governor is ready with his master list of preferred candidates for all the 18 LGAs. This development is currently giving opposition party members, especially the All Progressives Congress (APC) serious cause for concern.
There are allegations that it is an indirect way by the Governor to impose some political puppets on the state by forcing the hands of CROSIEC to announce such cronies as winners during the elections.

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