By Peter Ofem Ubi
Barr Gov Liyel Imoke
Barr Ntufam Fidelis Ugbo
Barr Sen. Ben Ayade
Dorncklaimz Enamhe
“He who sees your VALUE and SACRIFICE, develops them is your friend & well-wisher. He who sees your VALUE and SACRIFICE only as a consequence of personal benefits to them, a convenience of sought is no promoter of your interest, and such a person acts militantly in the end against you.” Peter Ubi. Be the judge as you patiently read along please!
And, I want to start this presentation by saying how grateful I’m to all of you for reading; more so, to everyone who has poured out their hearts and hopes into Barr Ugbo’s campaign, those who drove for miles and lined the streets waving handmade signs, those who saved to raise money for transportation to witness Ugbo’s declaration, those who knocked on the opened doors of online campaigning and made phone calls to friends, those who talked, sometimes argued with your friends and neighbors on behalf of Ugbo…those of you who e-mailed and contributed in no small measure, ooh my dear Cross Riverians who invested so much in Ugbo’s common enterprise of a better Cross River because you saw his VALUE & SACRIFICE, to the motherss and fathers who came to our event at the cultural center, those who lifted their little daughters and little sons on their shoulders and whispered in their ears, ” You see, that is Ugbo, you can be like him because he is a man who see’s VALUE & SACRIFICE in others and promotes them, he is a man of honor, integrity, and dedication -one without a scandal attached to his name -you want to be him.”
To those retired, to the childhood friends of Ugbo, to those who traveled across Cross River, telling anyone who would listen why they supported Ugbo. And to all of those elderly women in their 70s and their 80s…born before women had a say in the political enterprise of our state -who will in the coming months cast their support for Ugbo’s election victory, to all those who will vote for him and to whom Ugbo pledged his utmost commitment to -the progress we seek is unyielding to the forces of darkness, and uncompromising to politicians who do not see our VALUES & SACRIFICE but are bent on taking advantage of our self worth with deceptive pratice of Empowerment. To you I say, you all have inspired Ugbo and have touched him with the stories of the joys and sorrows that make up the fabric of his lives. And you have humbled Ugbo with your commitment to our State. Over 1.5 million of you, from all walks of life…women and men, young and old, rich, poor, and middle-class, you have stood with Ugbo. Thank you!
Personally, I continue to stand strong with Ugbo for I know he will in everything, every time, every place, in every way stand with our people’s. The dreams we share are worth fighting for with Ugbo as a Governor who Values us for what we are and appreciate our Sacrifices as Citizens of a great State like Cross River. Don’t wonder if am getting paid for this, I love Ugbo, I do this for free because I love politics.
Ugbo will fight for the Value inherent of you toward a dignify leaving in the sacrifices you have made today -all those who’ve lost jobs and cannot afford health care, who can’t afford groceries of food items or University fees for their grown children, those whom have felt invisible to the system in these last eight years.
Ugbo entered this race because he loves the old-fashioned conviction that public service is about helping people solve their problems, enhancing their Values, ensuring their sacrifices are not lost while they live their dreams. He had every opportunity and blessing in his own life, and he wants the same for all Cross Riverians and not to use our people as a convenient tool to stepping up into another office or position.
Today my attention was drawn to a post by Declan Ogar-Genesis on a comparison linking Barr Imoke and Barr Ayade -in an attempt to reference Ayade’s possible political history, and a correlation to similar family Values and Sacrifice in life…to me, indirectly dismissing all others as not worthwhile. I know negative campaigning when I see one as a political operative with years of obvious observation experiences in campaign tactics. I was taken aback from what is far from the truth and reality. If anything, Barr Ugbo as Barr Enamhe puts it to me in a phone call, spending his valuable time to set the record stright on the uprightness of Barr Imoke in good similarities to Barr Ugbo rather than Barr Ayade because he knows them all.
You see my friends, Barr Imoke, Barr Ugbo, Barr Ayade, and Barr Enamhe have history together. While I cannot trouble you with the total details of Declan Ogar-Genesis post, I will suggest you Visit the Cross River State Coalition Forum online page for the discuss. However, here is a response from a man Barr Dorncklaimz Enamhe who has traveled far with all the above men and knowing intimately their political strength and weaknesses and never plays the politics of bitterness which is why he supports a man like himself in Barr Ugbo:
DC as popularly known said – [Good work! great comparism, let’s keep looking at areas of common qualities both are lawyers, both were business men before public office, let me try some differences Imoke came from a silver spoon background, raised the bar so high Governor Clement Ebri instead of making him Commissioner asked him to run for Senate; Governor Duke taught different Barr Ayade in 1999, asked him to wait -why? Imoke in 1998 had a chance to be Governor, preferred his friend Duke, he stayed back to stabilize the goverment.
Fast forward to 2014, Barr Ayade an opportunist presented himself for office of governor. Imoke with a chance to return back to the Senate like his colleagues Governors Suswan and Akpabio, yet again for goes it because he sees Value and the Sacrifice of Owen making Imoke to go against Sen. Ndoma. What did Barr Ayade tell his colleagues aspirants? The election will to be about money, so the likes of Barr Legor, Ugbo, Mr Aniah and Hon. Odey whom he perceives not to be financially loaded or as money stable as him should step down for him – what arrogance of a reasoning behind an elitist display of ignoring Value and Sacrifice in others -why they all went for screening after trying to almost convinced his way, Imoke who doesn’t fight shy, if he wants something he goes for it, he doesn’t talk money, Barr Ayade may have gotten Senate form as a fall back, when Imoke was to run he didn’t need the consent of governor Duke, who had started manipulating in favor of Walter Eneji; Imoke is so dependent on himself that he won all the lgas apart from bekwarra that had a rerun by which clearly shows that because of the fracas between late Tony Akobi and Omang Idiege, Imoke was elected without bekwarra so no bekwarra man including me, should take credit, much as in the rerun Imoke won while Barr Ayade in the last caucus won in seven -lgas, obudu, ogoja, yala, odukpani, calabar municipality, calabar south and bakassi and came 2nd; on public speaking, Imoke uses normal common peoples English to campaign and send his messages while Ayade uses elitist disposition the common man cannot understand; if you listened to Ugbo speaking, it is the language of the downtrodden, Imoke’s wife is always around to assist him, while Barr Ayade’s wife may not be very disposed due to her elitist attitude -can that be why or a reason she asn’t hosted the downtrodden campaign staff? Imoke has a special day he spends with his people of Abi where identifies with them, Sen. Ayade is yet to take such dates maybe when he is elected Governor, he may start doing that.
However, what I like about both of them is they are all my bosses and when they read this post, they might say is …This Dc erh -note please forgive me if I have touched on any sensibilities, you know my colleagues in Southern senatorial district came to show me the car bought for them, even when they had worked for Jimmy Aniyom, they still got car gifts…hmmm anyway you know last time, I mobilized kJ Agba to run for senate, worked for Rt Hon Paul Adah and voted for my father in law Prince Joe Aras Abue, don’t go away, I was privileged to be the 1st to say congratulations and had the first handshake on the erudite senator, even my votes in my unit was 99 percent Ayade which the distinguished senator replied with “many thanks Dc” anyway for governorship he came to me late that he was waiting for the governor Imoke to give him anointing, I followed the man who was independent, seeking no anointing from the Governor, first to pick PDP forms and submit, a man sure of his footings who saw something in me early and recruited me like my late mentor and super politician had done in 1998, and Imoke did when all the groups agitating for him came to see him and he said to Edet okon Asim “where is DC get him to chair it” I love value and sacrifice-that was All for Imoke.]
My friends I submit to you Imoke hasn’t being a desperate and diehard politician, and he gave up opportunities by way of sacrifice for the common good. You know who did similar? Barr Ugbo when he dropped out of the governorship contest for Imoke and not Barr Ayade. Imoke cares so much for the VALUE liberation of the individual and does not take advantage….who else does that? Barr Ugbo not Barr Ayade. While the eradication of poverty by Ayade is a drive today, it is arguably done as a staunch political calculations and expediency, if not, you tell me if the contract for convenience wasn’t set in motion to enhance his campaign talking points.
Imoke is always seeking ways for reconciliation, Ugbo does that as a conflict resolution/negotiations expert. Imoke respect authority of the PDP and the President as a follower, he remains loyal to the President at all times, though older, Ugbo has been and remains the same to Imoke and the PDP. What does Ayade do? Challenges the Party establishment.
Many pointed to Barr Ayade FOOD BANK PROGRAMME, EMPOWERMENT SCHEMES, as yet his good nature to see help go to the less privileged, I beg to question the authenticity given his elitist deposition, and I wonder if that is part of the political calculations of convenience.
“Here is a man with a questionable character as one respondent puts it -ONE HAS NEVER APPEARED ON D NATIONAL DAILIES FOR FRAUD, WHILE ONE HAS APPEARED. You also forgot that ONE IS IN CONSTANT TOUCH WITH HIS PEOPLE, WHILE ONE ACT IN D OPPOSITE. ONE CLAIMED TO MAKE HIS FIRST MILLION IN HIS EARLY 20s BUT NEVER AFFECTED ANYONE OR HIS ENVIRONMENT POSITIVELY (not until he ventured into politics), WHILE ONE IS A BORN-PHILANTHROPIST. ONE IS A RADICAL, WHILE ONE IS PEACE-MAKER. Pls update. Thank u my Friend (Declan Ogar-Genesis”
Conclusion:
A sterling out take on Barr Ayade and Ugbo in fitting with the best model of Barr Imoke. My reading on Barr Enamhe is one based on the positive human position of VALUE -VALUE placed on a life. The dignified human VALUE is separated from the obtainable position of self aggrandizement. Should one go beyond the perimeters of normal service to selfless service, I can understand. The collective interest of the people is most important and Imoke has shown that, Ugbo has leaved it in stepping aside for others, and Barr Ayade -I don’t know of the sacrifice to step aside for others to go processed.
When Imoke left to allow others go, he thought of the collective and not the individual. Is that what Ayade is doing today? When Clement Ebri moved the bar forward for Duke appointing him commissioner, he thought of the collective not the individual…Is Ayade doing so? Many had Value, they sacrifice it for others to go because they recognize something bigger than themselves -Ugbo inclusive, and they thought of the collective interest rather than the individual interest….is Ayade doing that today? We must relocate your steps and understands that when we give Value to people not because of what benefits we get in singing praises to ourselves, we are doing better and the joy becomes even greater within. We cannot use deception to woodwink others to falling inline.
Finally, till that day comes when the collective Values and sacrifices of our people are taking to account, you’ll always find Ugbo on the front lines of our democratic enterprise, fighting for the future of a Cross River of shared prosperity. I urge our supporters not to be of bitterness in the face of negative outburst from opponent’s, but to continue focusing on our fight to accomplish the goals for which we stand, we must take our energy, our passion, our strength, and do all we can to help elect Ugbo, the next Governor of Cross River State.
Thank you for your time! God bless you! God bless Cross River.
The unedited views expressed in this article are Peter Ubi’s.
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