Cross River Chapter of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) has said the recent defection of Governor Ben Ayade will cost the state N2 billion.
Caretaker Chairman of the PDP, Effiok Cobham and other members of the committee disclosed this in Calabar.
The party said the governor can afford to splash the humongous amount because he is in possession of N19 billion refund for federal roads which he has refused to disclose to the people of the state.
The party also said the governor is offering N30 million together with one SUV vehicle to each of the members of the state assembly to defect with him.
“The defection of Governor Ayade to APC is to cost Cross Riverians 2 billion naira.
“Governor Ayade can readily expend 2 billion naira to fund his defection to APC because he has ready cash from the almost 19 billion naira paid to the state as refund for federal road maintenance undertaken by the PDP administrations of Governors Donald Duke and Liyel Imoke.
“The governor has refused to declare this to the people of the state and is frittering it away on purposes other than the common good of Cross Riverians.
“Members of the state assembly have been offered 30 million naira each and an SUV each if they agree to decamp and commissioners are being offered 3 million naira to defect to APC”, Cobham alleged.
The party called on the governor to declare the N19 billion to the people of the state, and use it to fix infrastructure, including; rural roads, urban road network and water which benefits the common man.
“We are all embarrassed that the governor inherited the best public water supply systems developed by PDP administrations of Donald and Liyel across the state and have allowed them to fall into disrepair”, the party said.
The PDP decried the state of affairs in the state saying Magistrates are owed over 2 years salaries, teachers are owed 5 years salaries and pensioners had to block a federal highway – all happening at a time the governor is in possession of N19 billion.
The party said the governor’s exuberance to impress the APC leadership has led him down the path of impunity, illegality and flagrant abuse of the mandate of the people of the state.
The party also called on the national leadership of the APC to speak up as the governor plunders the state to impress it as silence means endorsement of Ayade’s shenanigans.
(The Oracle)