Secret Reporters
Cross River State Governor Ben Ayade may bear the toga of ‘His Excellency’, but the real governor of the state is Mr Frank Ayade, his younger brother, sources confided in us.
We gathered that in Calabar where he holds sway, he is revered more than the man elected to govern the people and goes about in convoy with five bullet proof among the vehicles.
Known to be a weakling governor, but his strength lies in his ability to con his people. According to reliable sources, Ben has turned the little resources of the state into charity, doling out money to projects that has no benefit to the electorates. One of such wasteful project is ‘A mother and Child pageant’, where he doled out One Million Naira each to thirteen of the contestants.
Citizens who reached out to us relayed that he is the most wasteful governor that ever presided over the state. Unlike Donald Duke and Liyel Imoke who moved around in three vehicles without bike riders, he goes about with four bike riders and thirty vehicles, intimidating the people and shutting down major roads.
“In Cross River State, our governor has taken more international tourist trips than the President of the country. No wonder he bought a helicopter to remain airborne as a governor. This aircraft freak attitude has been the reason why most policy ideas seem to be coming from outer space. When not airborne, he is ever cruising with a motorcade of 10 power bikes and 30 first class jeeps blaring sirens and causing traffic. When out of the country for one of his international tours, peace and quietness escapes Calabar as his brother, Frank Ayade take over as the “de facto governor” with more sirens”, the source stated.
The Super six highway projected flagged off by President Muhammadu Buhari is said to be a scam, as money meant for it may be diverted, state a source. This is in spite of all the road networks in Calabar no longer motorable as before, with potholes all over, with streetlights that used to adorn the city no longer functioning.
Running government on nepotism
Further information gathered by Secret Reporters is that the governor s only comfortable with having his family members in his cabinet, or those related to him by marriage.
One of those appointed as Special Adviser Eric is his wife’s brother, Akpo for Superhighways and Infrastructure, while Harriet Akpo married to the latter is the SA to the First Lady. All the conferences held in the state are organized by Paschal Akpo, who is also the brother to his wife.
Another of the appointee is Philomina Inyang as SA to the 1st Lady who is Doctor Joseph Inyang’s wife and she’s a younger sister to Ayade. Dr Inyang is a Commissioner (Husband to Philomina). The SA on tourism is also married to Ayade’s.