For refusing to defect with him from the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to All Progressives Congress (APC), the Cross River State Government of Sen. Ben Ayade has reportedly stopped the month of May salaries and allowances of some political appointees in the state.
This, the Governor did by tactically directing the office of the state Accountant General as well as that of the legislature to withhold further payments of elected officers who refused to defect with him, barely five weeks after his defection.
Following this, tongues are now wagging, with the PDP grievously lamenting over the APC led government in the state.
Shooting the first salvo, Barr Effiok Cobham, PDP caretaker committee chairman, said it was not only childish but senseless to do what the state government had done, especially withholding of salaries and allowances of some House of Assembly members and councillors for refusing to defect to the APC, noting that salaries and allowances remain legitimate earnings of officials, despite their party affiliations. Tagging the act as a gross illegality, Cobham said it would not go legally unchallenged.
“The Governor is not paying from his pocket. He has even collected the official cars allocated to some of the legislators. The councillors are being threatened and harassed daily, thereby putting fears into them.
“Well, we as a party would not fold our hands and allow our members to be humiliated just because they refused to join Ayade in APC. We shall seek redress in a competent court of law soon.”
At the Legislature, the affected lawmakers include: Rt.Hon Fred Osim (Ikom I), Okpechi Gabriel (Obubra I), Nelson Ofem ( Yakurr I), Elizabeth Ironbar (Akpabuyo), Efa Esua ( Municipality) and Itam Abang ( Boki I).
- Tags: Gov Ben Ayade, APC, PDP, Effiok Cobham,