Efio-Ita Nyok|16 March 2016|6:11am
Saturday 12 March 2016 will go down as a memorable day in the annals of the Peoples Democratic Party PDP, Cross River State Chapter especially taking cognizance of the fact that she demonstrated to the opposition All Progressives Congress-APC that Yakurr Constituency II will be a no go zone for the ruling PDP for quite some time. Again, Rt. Hon. Eteng Jones Williams will not forget this day in a hurry for in it by 4380 votes he affirmed over APC's candidate's 3670 and LP's candidate's 2180 his grip of the constituency.
The Speaker of Cross River State House of Assembly, Rt. Hon. John Gaul Lebo, the Chairman of Boki LGA, Abubakar Ewa, the Director General of Cross River State Primary Health Care Development Agency, Dr. Mrs. Betta Edu and a host of others have expressed their felicitation with Rt. Hon. Eteng Jones Williams of Yakurr State Constituency II. Despite these felicitations, it would be naive to admit that every constituent of Yakurr State Constituency II are happy with Williams or every other politician or stake holder at that. Yes, the penultimate point is obvious and thus it would be tautological to reecho such a glaringly obvious sentiment.
Granted the above, it should be revealed that while Williams and his close associates were revelling in the gale of victory at the polls, Negroid Haven correspondent received a call from a known individual who pleaded anonymity. While all the pleasantries were exchanged, the said caller observed in solemn terms and these are the words: 'Nyok, do you know that some people are not happy for Hon. Eteng Jones Williams' s victory at the polls?' It may have been normal for me not to express surprise at that news especially considering what I have said earlier on. The caller on observing that emphasised: 'Chief Nyok, I mean some people are not happy for Eteng Jones Williams!' This rejoinder rattled me, and I was compelled to inquire: 'but why…Why would they not be happy with him?'
My pleading-anonymity-caller, instead of responding to my 'Why question' revealed the identity of the set of persons, whose Williams' 12 March 2016 's victory have not gone down well with: the caller said: 'you see, the legislative aides of the Cross River State House of Assembly are not really happy with Williams'. I thus asked: 'Why are they not happy?' This is when my caller proceeded to reveal that there are twenty five (25) Honourable Members that constitute CRSHA; and that each of the legislators are officially entitled to two (2) aides each of whom are supposed to have N200, 000.00 as take home package each month. Thus, there are supposed to be 50 legislative aides in the payroll of CRSHA. However, the Honourable Members despite this official structure, rather choose to employ over two legislative aides; some have about 10 aides. In other words, CRSHA has about 250 legislative aides. The interesting twist in this bloated system is that our Honourable Members stretch the N200, 000.00 over their bloated system: thus, these aides go home with about N20, 000.00. Even at that, these aides are hardly paid as at when due. This is the challenge.
Now, the question becomes: How does this concern Rt. Hon. Eteng Jones Williams? Without mincing words, my source conjectured that this level of injustice is taking place under the nose of Speaker John Gaul Lebo who is perceived to have given a thumbs up to what his colleagues do. In conceding to the immorality of so-called Honourable Members my source revealed that: 'Hon. Williams is the Adviser of the Speaker'. The source went as far as saying that 'every decision taken by John Gaul Lebo is most knowable to Eteng Jones Williams'. 'Lebo cannot do anything in CRSHA without Williams knowing, and neither can Williams embark on a venture devoid of the knowledge of the Speaker'. 'it's as if both of them sleep on the same bed!'.
On 12 March 2016, Speaker John Gaul Lebo corroborated my source when he earlier on submitted on his Facebook page, 'Eteng Jones Williams… He was the Adviser of the Speaker' while felicitating with Williams' victory. Graphically expressed, Rt. Hon. Eteng Jones Williams would have advised the Speaker to permit his colleagues go around with a bloated number of aides to the detriment of the official stipulations and it's implications! These and many more constitute the reason why these aides may not be happy.
It would stand to reason then that much of the shortcomings of the CRSHA like the accusation by critics that this Assembly is a rubber stamp of the Executive arm, the public pledging of utmost loyalty to the Governor as expressed by the Speaker, the betrayal of fellow Honourable colleagues that impelled Hon. Hillary Bisong to instigate an impeachment process recently, collusion of the leadership of the Assembly with Frank Ayade, the brother of the governor in glaring violations of official proceedings of the Assembly, and the list continues have the endorsement of Eteng Jones Williams.
I am calling on the leadership of Cross River State House of Assembly as embodied in Hon. John Gaul Lebo to do the right thing at the right time for the right purpose. Why the Speaker and any other politician is naturally expected to have a retinue of advisers and confidants, it should be emphasised that, the Speaker sift through the pieces of advice they heap on his lap. The 25 legislators should remember that beyond their official duties, these aides run other dirty and demeaning assignments for them: For instance, they are the ones who pick up your basket full of concubines you peddle around (for those of you who have extra marital affairs)
A stitch in time saves nine.
Efio-Ita Nyok
Is a Blogger & the Editor of Negroid Haven
