Ifere Paul|21 January 2016|5:45am
The former Cross River State chairman of Labour Party, Austine Ibok, now SA to the governor of CRS mortgage the future of his vibrant party to take a careless appointment from the State governor. Austine Ibok, until his appointment was the most important young man that was out to build the opposition mechanics that was until 2015, never seen in Cross River State.
The State which has been described as a PDP State was taken by storm with the emergence of the Labour Party. It is true that Labour Party was an obscured party without life until the defection of all PDP aggrieved candidates. Aggrieved because they were denied the right to fair primaries, even though majority of them won the various State caucuses. Aggrieved because Liyel Imoke decided to play a political God. Such political gimmickry was what backfired and made Labour Party popular. The popularity of Labour Party was occasioned by its big caterpillars and bulldozers like Alex Egbona, Sandy Onor, Prince Bassey Otu, Dominic Aqua, Julius Okpotu, Ntufam Fidelis Ugbo, etc.
Labour Party became so powerful and had to force the PDP, which initially considered itself without opposition, to do the needful by massively rigging elections to its favour. There's no candidate of the PDP in Cross River State that won the election openly apart from Hon. Jarigbe Agom Jarigbe. For Hon. Legor Idagbo, it took the political combination of Dornclaimz Enamhe to pull through. Labour Party was on a course to upturn the gains of PDP as a fearful beast. And of course, with the big names as candidates flying the mama, papa, and pikin flag, Labour Party was not afraid of a sold off PDP.
The gains of Labour Party was quickly snatched, and Labour Party's ability to coordinate a come back at the tribunal was hampared by oppressive manipulation of a government with long hands at graft through bribery and the selection of tribunal judges to the State.
With anti party activities from the State Chairman himself, the party was sold off on a platter of appointment promised even before the elections were over.
I am surprised that the former Labour Party Chairman, Austine Ibok, now SA on Inter Party Affairs to the governor of Cross River State could still talk and challenge the APC vice chairman as the CNPP chairman. Ibok challenges my assertion that he had the right to take appointment from the PDP government. That the constitution of the Labour Party allowed that. Well, I am not challenging Austine Ibok on that. And never will. Because, conscience which is nurtured by truth should tell him otherwise.
I have looked at the office of the SA on Inter Party Affairs and have wondered whether such an office will yield the necessary influence to foster opposition from inside the PDP. The truth is that even Austine's influence, if any, have been clipped by Governor Ben Ayade. For instance, the 30% appointments promised to the opposition by Ayade was supposed to be released to the opposition even though APC does not want to partake in the so called inclusive government of professor Ben Ayade.
Can Austine Ibok office as SA to the governor negotiate the remaining appointments promised by the governor to the opposition? Does he even enjoy the benefits that comes with his office? Since taking the appointment as SA to the governor, has he been paid? Is his new appointment commensurate with the office of the opposition Labour Party chairman? Or was it just greed that forced him to betray his party, its candidates, and numerous supporters for just peanuts? Is he seeing the peanuts as we speak now?
The following questions are questions that has been bothering me. Especially that I have through careful research discovered that Austine Ibok has been in secret talks with Prince Otu, and Alex Egbona, and many others to come back to the PDP. Is there a Labour Party in Cross River State now? Or is it just another survival mechanics?
Only time will tell.
Ifere Paul
Is an Environmental Activist & Public Policy Analyst
