EXCLUSIVE: Gov. Ayade Is The Worst Thing That Has Happened To Cross River - AIG Mbu J. Mbu
AIG Mbu J. Mbu is one of the popular police officers that has emerged from this country. He may have been misrepresented in the cause of his professional duties, however he remains what he meritoriously carved for himself. Men and women of his constituency -The Nigeria Police are always at hand to educate anyone who has a contrary view to who AIG Mbu is.
His sourjorn of over three decades in The Nigeria Police has emboldened a soft-spoken and often introvert-like-character Mbu to a courageous apostle of justice. In his quest to seek for justice for all, AIG Mbu has pitched his tent with the people of Cross River state against what he termed a “…corrupt, dishonest and scam based leadership under Gov. Ben Ayade.
The Nigerian Voice team recently met with AIG Mbu and soght to know why he has been very critical of the leadership of His Excellency, Gov. Ben Ayade.
The Nigerian Voice
AIG, why have you consistently maintained that Gov. Ayade is the worst thing that has happened to Cross River State?
AIG Mbu
Thank you for your effort to reach out to me to have a better understanding of my position on the present governance of Cross River State. As you know, I have been busy over the years, serving at the The Nigeria Police and paid little or no attention to governance in Cross River State. However, I can at a glance list numerous accomplishments/legacies of former Gov. Donald Duke even at a far younger age. The former governor and his team worked and served the people of Cross River very well. State roads, the Ranch, Tinapa, Calabar Festival etc.
Liyel Imoke came very organized with sound mind and embarked on schools and local roads including to my village Abia though ours was poorly supervised. He had health challenges but his legacies are there for everyone to see. From a distance, I saw Ayade as one in Episcopal garment. I forgot that the hood does not make the monk. Have you heard of Super Highway?
The Nigerian Voice:
Can you shade more light on that?
AIG Mbu
Ayade had a plan to defraud the State and subject the people to abject poverty. He started filibustering with grammatic grandiloquence. Behold, we have been offered refuse bin that is beautifully painted outside but…… The super highway was supposed to cost N648 Billion whereby our State was to pay the recovery loan in one hundred years.Mark you we are not Akwa Ibom, Rivers State, Bayelsa and Delta States? We are feeding on crimps. No oil money. The Governor used his powers to revoke lands affected by his utopian project. Highly important economic trees were felled down, converted into timber and exported. Former Governor, Donald Duke started an embracing Highway project gradually from Okuni and built over eighteen bridges. Ayade came with his surreptitious plans, repudiated all the good ideas and embarked on what he considered as the easiest way to siphon the resources of the State. Today, he is calling on Northern Nigerians to come forward and support the project. This is preposterous . After six years you want to come up with excuses?The State has been committed to be remitting #430M every month for the repayment for onehundred years. This is evil. Real evil. It is a fact to state that since President Buhari came to inaugurate the project in 2015, not one kilometre of the proposed road has been constructed. The Governor has so orchestrated the project yet nothing on the ground.
Ayade appointed an SA or Dg on afforestation yet Ayade’s brothers and their cohorts are busy cutting downtrees and exporting timber. My question is: does the DG function in the capacity of afforestation or deforestation? I have video clips of trailers hauling timber from our area to export destination. I challenge them to come again and they will see what will happen. Ayade embarked on over seventeen projects and not one has reached 45% completion. I mean not just one. All the roads he proposed building have been abandoned. Now he wants an International cargo airport when the air strip over there can not be put to use. All these empty projects have gulped so much money.That is his target of governance.
The Nigerian Voice
Are you aware of the crisis rocking the Cross River State PDP?
AIG Mbu
Well, I do not belong to any political party but I have heard of power struggle between Ayade and the National Assembly members over the list of State officials. The imbroglio could possibly cost them the state come 2023. Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) should carefully review the situation because Ayade is likely going to make them lose the State to another Party. Ayade is like a ‘newt’. Have you heard of a ‘newt’? It lives on land and in water. As far as I am concerned, Ayade does not belong to any political party. He has repeatedly stated that a party is just a ‘vehicle’. Your interpretation of the statement is as good as mine. He is habitually absent in PDP critical meetings while at the same time romancing APC as a potential member. With his present image in Cross River, anyone who politically associates with him is most likely going to fail.
The Nigerian Voice
Why and how?
AIG Mbu
You are asking me why? I blame APC for our present situation. They were deceived by big names – Usari Usari Hon. Minister, Sen. Victor Egba and Senator John Enoh. These individuals are great disappointment to their constituencies. APC did not deligently profiled them. APC did not come down to Cross River to inquire how close their candidates were to the people or how much they have impacted on their people. They belong to ‘chop alone’ club. The Primary School in my village which was rehabilitated by UBEC is far better than the ones that exist in these names’ villages. That may have caused the voters to use their votes as protest against them, thereby favouring Ayade. We are however grateful to APC government for favouring us with many political and sensitive appoitments more than ever. Why should APC lose? The appointees did nothing for the people and the State. They were all members of ‘chop alone’ club. APC had no justifiable reason to lose in Cross River. Well, let’s watch 2023 If God keeps us alive though Politicians don't think anything can happen to them tomorrow.
The Nigerian Voice
Since you commenced your correctional outbursts, do you think that the Governor is feeling the impact of your criticisms and have you seen any positive changes on his side?
AIG Mbu
Hahaha. Yes. On the 1st day of August 2020, I was watching 10 pm news on Channels television and suddenly, I saw an advert on Obudu Cattle Ranch. "Today in cross River, we are using sanitizers as part of prevention protocol against Covid -19, etc and I laughed. To him, he has countered my views". Again, I saw the governor appealing to the North to support the Super Highway project six years after. What a shame!
The Nigerian Voice
What do you think that the government has done in terms of release of Local government funds?
AIG Mbu
Nothing. They were sworn in on 3rd June ?????. Between January and November 2019, what was sent to the State for 18 local government Councils amounted to N22.99 Billion. Note that it is for eleven months only. Multiply it for three years and see what it comes to. He will surely tell us where the money is. Calabar is filty, bad roads full of potholes, high crime rate, poverty/hunger covid -19, etc. No patrol vehicles for the police.
The Nigerian Voice
Has the government responded to your cry for police patrol vehicles?
AIG Mbu
To the best of my knowledge, he has not bought the vehicles. He came on vengeance mission against the people of Cross River and I wonder who offended him before his reincarnation. Everything is to be siphoned. All the good lands in Calabar have been cornered by him and his cronies. Note that the governor has promised four politicians from the South Senatorial zone that he will nominate them for governorship. He also promised two other politicians from from Central that as the three zones have gone round, the next governor may come from the North, Central or South.
The Nigerian Voice
What is your view on Cross River University Of Technology (CRUTECH)?
AIG Mbu
When the substantive Vice Chancellor left, the governor brought his brother on acting capacity. He fell out with him and brought another person from the same Northern zone. CRUTECH in a year and half has had two Ag.Vice Chancellors when the State is blessed with many qualified academics and he says he is a professor? Well, let’s not dive into that for now. The Vice Chancellor of University of Calabar (UNICAL) is from his place. They have fallen out because they both have Senatorial ambition.The Vice Chancellor of CRUTECH is from his neighbouring local government. One wonders why the two Vice Chancellors must come from his zone.There is no going back we will tell the Nation who Gov Ayade is. Though you the press are the cause. Placing fake advertisement when nothing is on the ground is misleading.
The Nigerian Voice
We thank you for your time in clarifying some misty issues in your critical views of His Excellency, Gov. Ben Ayade, the governor of Cross River State.
AIG Mbu
I thank you and your team for courageous journalism. I challenge him to invite a team of journalists to the state and take them round what he has done for six years.
NOTHING NOTHING NOTHING.