A forum of concerned elders of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Cross Rivers state has berated the recent visit by the Senate leader Chief Victor Ndoma Egba and his group to the President-elect General Muhammadu Buhari, describing them as “political gold-diggers.”
The elders however, opposed any attempt by Ndoma Egba led group to stampede the President-elect or foist themselves on the Cross Rivers chapter of APC, saying “only a few weeks ago they were vociferous in their opposition to General Buhari’s ambition, raising dubious, sectional and religious sentiments.”
A statement signed in Abuja on Sunday by Hon. Eyo Nsa Ekpo, Hon. Ekeng Iwatt Effiom, Engr. Cyprian Oyom Igban, Engr Agim Lawrence Ikwen, Capt. Oyo Ita and Elder David Okon, said that they would do everything possible to resist the antics of the people they described as members of “Any Government In Power (AGIP).”
But Senator Victor Ndoma Egba in a statement on Sunday signed by his Special Adviser on Media, Ignatius Uzuegbulam, denied any uterior motive with the visit, “For the avoidance of doubt, I clearly stated during the visit that I was leading a non partisan group to see the president elect.
The elders’ statement reads: “the Concerned elders are however disturbed by the timing of this visit and the demands tabled before our President-elect. Chief Victor Ndoma Egba has been prominent part of decision making process in Cross Rivers state and Nigeria as a three-time senator of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, majority whip in his second term and majority leader in his third term. It was in his tenure Cross Rivers state finally lost Bakasi to Cameroon and witnessed the most degrading form of infrastructural decay.”
According to the elders, “non of us heard Chief Victor Ndoma Egba raising any voice in the senate when Cross Rivers state was raped first by the Federal Republic of Nigeria with the ceding of Bakassi to Cameroon without the consent of her people, then by Akwa Ibom state resulting in the lost of our oil wells and land territories.”
The senate leader however explained that: “The suffering of the people of our dear state has no party affiliation. The painful loss of Bakassi and our oil wells which has further impoverished our people; is a problem we all have been living with since the sad events took place.
“The People of Cross River State stand to benefit if these injustices are reversed by whomsoever God gives the power to do so, irrespective of political or religious affiliation.
“In case the authors of the statement are in doubt; about the role I played during the struggle for Bakassi, technology has made it easy. Anyone can simply Google my name and the subject.
“I have spent the greater part of my adult life serving our people, it is too late in the day for me to be looking for a job, my legal practice is waiting for me but I remain in politics.”
