OpED: Political Metamorphosis Of Cross River State & The Gains Of "Centre Socketing" BY VINCENT EFFIONG

 By Vincent Effiong

APC, Eki Ward

effiblink780@gmail.com

Few months ago, the Governor of Cross River State, His Excellency, Sen. Prof. Sir Ben Ayade made an episcopalian departure from the cataclysmic People’s Democratic Party to the All Progressives Congress – a party whose modus operandi derives from global democratic practices. To many, this classical departure didn’t come as a surprise, as the Governor consistently had a top-level romance with the progressive fold from his day-1 in Peregrino House. 

The tsunami of nationwide defection greeting the opposition PDP on a daily basis is only but a reflection of ideological decadence and obsoleteness of their operationalism. It is evidently difficult for one to perform under this nature state. This explains why a former Governor of the State left the party he co-founded to seek for Presidential nomination elsewhere in the 2019 general elections. To him, no one can ever perform as a Governor or President under the People’s Democratic Party’s structural collapse, insensitivity and ludicrous propensities. His recent reunion hasn’t changed this status quo anyways.

In real sense, contemporary societies and political settings are patterned by sets of objectives, definite views, ideas, conceptions and notions. These views define the structural functionality of such political system, with deliberate aim of constant development of the people and economy. Sadly, this has not been the case of PDP past years in power. The party is practically a fountain of  narrow-mindedness and unthinkable conformity that crushes the originality of an individual’s positive adherent. In this straits, lives of millions can be oppressed, distorted or lost by such political  movement driven by nepotistic hegemonism.

As a people, we have gone through political phases and has finally metamorphosed into a PROGRESSIVE FOLD. We are only two months in power, yet, we have launched the latest Airline in the country with an affordable flight fee - the cheapest in the country. Indeed, Ayade has shown Nigerians love. The economic implication of this magnificent investment cannot be overemphasized, it has not only created jobs for Cross River Youths, but has boosted our Internally Generated Revenue (IGR) by a reasonable percent. While it may be true that States and regions can run successfully without necessarily “socketting to the centre” (aligning with the party of federal government), it is also UNARGUABLE that State actors will do less while on a political platform outrightly not in sync with LIBERAL DEMOCRACY and PROGRESSIVE VALUES. 

The Governor, His Excellency, Sir Ben has found political peace within the PROGRESSIVE fold. It is gratifying to note that within a very short while, his people-oriented policies and programmes hitherto hindered as a result of political unrest in his former fold have seen the light of the day in APC. We are gradually making progress, and the State is putting up a new look. The Deep sea port is gaining more concern from the Federal government, the paper work for rail construction is ongoing. The Calabar Itu road work is in progress. To achieve the CROSS RIVER of our dream, we ALL MUST BE PROGRESSIVE MINDED.