Cross River radio callers tell Governor Ayade to abandon presidential race and clean up Calabar

GOVERNOR Ben Ayade of Cross River State has suffered a major setback in his presidential campaign after phone-in callers on a recent radio programme told him to go and clear the refuse on the streets of Calabar first before thinking about running Nigeria.

Although Governor Ayade is yet to officially declare himself a candidate, he has a campaign team in place and a series of high profile public events are constantly being arranged for him. During a recent radio programme, the governor was pilloried by callers who told him to go and deal with the mountains of waste piled up across Calabar, the state capital and other towns before looking elsewhere.

They said even though the governor has the right under the constitution to declare his interest in the presidency, his performance in Cross River State should have propelled his aspiration. Some of the callers pointed to the many factories he personally initiated but only a couple of them have taken off creating doubts about the genuineness of his aspirations.

Others expressed displeasure over the mounting refuse dumps blocking many major roads and streets in the state capital for nearly two months and scored Governor Ayade very low. However, Christian Ita, the chief press secretary to the governor, defended his principal’s decision to aspire.

Mr Ita said: “I have travelled widely. The impact of governance in Cross River is far better and appreciated compared with others in the country given our own peculiarities.

“Regarding the waste, action has already been effected. I assure you that in no time the clean and green nature of the city will return.”

Magdalene Imoh of Positive Gender Initiative, added: “I would like to call on the governor to raise the governance level in Cross River State. All parts of the state is now filthy and everywhere you turn, heaps of waste and flies and stench salute you. This is not the famous Calabar we knew, where people trooped in to behold its serenity, cleanliness and peace.”