Governor Ben Ayade of Cross River State has described as a concocted lies
an allegation by a Chieftain of the All Progressive Congress, APC, Chief
Okoi Obono-Obla, that he traveled out of the state since January and did
not inform the state Assembly or handed over to his Deputy Governor.
Ayade in a statement signed by his spokesman, Mr. Christian Ita said the
Governor has been out of the country primarily on investment drive to
several countries.
Ita said the Governor whose primary focus is to develop the Solid Mineral
potentials of Cross River State, attended the biggest Mining Conference in
Canada alongside some members of the State Executive Council.
He argued that the Governor has not violated any known law of the land as
his trip is a working trip aimed at positioning the state as a destination
for foreign investment especially in the solid minerals sector.
According to Ita, it is also not true that the governor left the state in
January, stating that the governor was still in the state in February and
even attended the burial of late former deputy Governor, Dr Walter Eneji
in second week of February.
He maintained that the constitution mandates the governor to write the
Speaker only when he is proceeding on his annual leave or medical leave.
“The governor in this instance is on a working visit to some countries,
including Canada where he and some members of the state executive council
are attending the biggest mining conference in the world at the invitation
of the Canadian government.
“Under Section 190 of the Constitution, the governor does not need to
transmit any letter to the Speaker unless he is on annual leave or medical
leave .
“Under Section 193, the governor can assign his responsibility to his
Deputy or a commissioner whether he is on leave or not. The Deputy
Governor can only act as governor when the governor is on leave or
incapable and then transmit the declaration in writing to the Speaker.”
Ita urged the public to ignore the ignorance being peddled by Obla on the
issue, saying he is only seeking cheap publicity.
Chief Obono-Obla had drawn the attention that has made Ayade’s whereabouts
a matter of intense speculation and conjecture in the State.
“The Governor did not tell the people if he was proceeding to leave or
going for vacation! Section 190 subsection 1 of the Constitution of the
Federal Republic of Nigeria, 1999 (as amended), stipulates that if the
Governor is going on vacation or in the event he is otherwise unable to
discharge the functions of his office, he must transmit a written
declaration to the Speaker of the House of Assembly to that effect, and
until he transmits to the Speaker of the House of Assembly a written
declaration to the contrary the Deputy Governor shall perform the
functions of the Governor as Acting Governor.
“Since Governor Ben Ayade travelled out of the country nearly ten weeks
ago without transmitting a written declaration to the Speaker of the House
of Assembly, that he is proceeding on vacation or he is otherwise unable
to discharge the functions of his office to enable the Deputy Governor,
Professor Ivara Esu assume office as Acting Governor, there can be no
doubt the Cross River State has no leader presently.