The All Progressives Congress, APC, on Monday, July 11, 2016 called for the impeachment of Ben Ayade, governor of Cross River State, over alleged “myriad of constitutional breaches”.
John Ochala, chairman of the APC in Cross River State, told journalists at a press conference in Calabar that the “abysmal security situation” in the state coupled with constitutionally breaches by Professor Ben Ayade was enough reason to begin impeachment proceedings against the governor.
The opposition party chairman also alleged that the carefree attitude of the People’s Democratic Party, PDP, leadership of the state is a serious matter of public concern saying that security of lives and property, was only one aspect of the failure of the PDP-led state government.
Ochala cited the abduction of three prominent indigenes of the state, including a chieftain of PDP, Senator Patrick Ani, who represented Cross River State at the Senate under the defunct National Republican Convention between 1991 and 1992.
The APC state chairman also condemned the spate of communal clashes across the state amidst increase in the rate of arm robbery and kidnapping. He blamed it on what he termed as “near absence of governance in the state”.
“If the House of Assembly do not find any area for which to indict and consequently impeach Governor Ben Ayade, we wish to point to them that the governor has consistently stayed out of the state for a period longer than what the constitution prescribes, without duly transmitting the reins of governance to his deputy as prescribed by the relevant statutes,” the APC state chairman said.
“Also, he has acted contrary to the provisions laid out in the second schedule of the constitution by attempting to, among others, create a police force in the guise of Green Police, Homeland Security which are in the exclusive preserve of the federal government.”
Hilliard Eta, national vice chairman (South South) of the APC, said the first line of charge of any serious government was security, adding that the party had over the period, restrained itself from protesting over the insecurity challenges in the state.
A former house of representatives member, Mr. Paul Adah, a member of the APC, called on the governor to tackle the security laxity in the state.
PDP’s spokesperson for Cross River State, Egbung Odama said that the APC, being an opposition party in the state “has no business with impeachment matters”. He reminded the APC that the ruling party in the state was “satisfied with the conduct of Governor Ayade”.
