As the political verbal war between the government of Cross River state and the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) continues, the former deputy governor, Efiok Cobham, has alleged that Governor Ben Ayade had spent N2 billion to buy PDP members in the House of Assembly.
Cobham who is the caretaker committee chairman also alleged that the incumbent governor had threatened appointees with sack unless they defect to the All Progressives Congress (APC) with him.
Cobham who made the remarks during a press conference in Calabar, Wednesday, also confirmed that former governor, Donald Duke, has returned to the party.
Reading through a press statement, Cobham said, “Upon decamping to APC, Governor Ayade declared pompously that in Cross River, once the governor moves, everyone follows.
“To Governor Ayade’s consternation and embarrassment, nobody followed. Governor Ayade has now adopted unconstitutional methods to compel his cabinet and appointees, and other public office holders to follow him to the APC against their choice of remaining in PDP.
“Members of the House of Assembly have been offered N30 million and an SUV each if they agree to decamp. Commissioners in Ayade’s cabinet are being offered N3 million and a car each to defect to the APC. Local government chairmen and councillors are under threat of removal from office unless they defect.
“All appointees of the governor have been instructed to produce their APC membership cards before they can receive salaries
“The defection of Governor Ayade to APC is to cost Cross Riverians N2 Billion. This is what Ayade needs to buy defectors from even his cabinet to follow him to the APC.
“Even this filthy lucre put forward is not enough to compel obedience as several commissioners from his cabinet, and majority of members of the House of Assembly and other political office holders have elected to reject the Greek gift and stay with the people of Cross River State in PDP.
“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 recently paid to Cross River state as refund for federal road maintenance undertaken by the PDP administrations of Governors Donald Duke and Llyel Imoke.
“Governor Ayade has refused to declare this money to the people of Cross River state and is frittering it away on purposes other than the common good of Cross Riverians.”
Incidentally, two serving commissioners in the Ben Ayade-led administration were present in the press conference.
