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| Sen John Owan-Enoh, Dr Sandy Onor, Mr Dodeye Arikpo and Mr Goddy Etah |
11 June 2018
Movement for the Actualization of Old Obubra Senate (MACOS) “In pursuit of Equity”
Press Release
Cross River Central Senate, Old Obubra & 2019
‘If you are neutral in situations of injustice, you have chosen the side of the oppressor’
The above quote by renowned Noble Laureate Arch Bishop Desmond Tutu captures the whole essence of the Movement for the Actualization of Old Obubra Senate (MACOS).
MACOS is a one goal Organisation which seeks to ensure the actualization of an Old Obubra Senate in 2019.
The Central Senatorial District of Cross River State is made up six Local Government Areas. These Local Government Areas can be classified or subdivided into two blocs. Thus, we have the Old Obubra bloc and the Old Ikom bloc. The Old Obubra bloc is made up of Obubra, Yakurr and Abi local government areas while the Old Ikom has Ikom, Boki and Etung local government areas.
Interestingly, since the return of democracy to Nigeria in 1999, no local government area from Old Obubra has produced a senator whereas all three local government areas in Old Ikom have had turns spanning 20 years. For 20years, the Old Obubra bloc has not had a taste of what is supposed to be a shared political heritage between both blocs; and for 20 years, Old Obubra people have consistently supported their brothers and sisters of Old Ikom to produce respective senators who have represented (still represent) the central senatorial district in the Senate of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.
Let it be clearly stated that from 1999 to 2003, Senator M. T. Mbu Jnr from Boki in Old Ikom was in the senate; from 2003 to 2015, Senator Victor Ndoma Egba from Ikom in Old Ikom represented the people of central senatorial district in the senate; from 2015 to 2019, Etung also in old Ikom took her turn in Senator John Owan Enoh.
Today, MACOS is demanding that justice be done to Old Obubra in 2019. Old Obubra deserves the central senatorial seat in 2019. The inequity ought to stop if the Old Obubra people are still part of the senatorial patrimony. 20 years is already enough and we are not poised to compromise any further.
There may be time when we are powerless to prevent injustice but there must never be a time when we fail to protest, according to Elie Wiesel. We have supported Old Ikom willingly for 20 years, 2019 is the year of Equity for Old Obubra.
We therefore call on every right thinking and patriotic son and daughter of Old Obubra to rise up and demand for Equity in Old Obubra. We must collectively demand for our political right as a people while having in mind Benjamin Franklin’s admonition that justice will not be served until those who are unaffected are as outraged as those who are. According to Abraham Lincoln, nobody can give you freedom. Nobody can give you equality or justice or anything. If you’re a man, you take it.
Let us be reminded that justice is the greatest good and injustice the greatest evil. We conscientiously appeal to Old Ikom brothers and sisters to consider our support over the years and kindly reciprocate such gesture by supporting Old Obubra for senate in 2019. They should please understand that Cross River Central Senatorial District belongs to both Old Obubra and Old Ikom, hence what goes around should come around.
Finally, Let us therefore, allow conscience to guide our sense of reason. 2019 is time for Old Obubra Senate. All we ask for is equity.
Signed:
Azogor Ideba
Director General
For: MACOS
8th June, 2018
