Past governors of Cross River State, including Chief Clement Ebri, Senator Liyel Imoke, former minister of Niger Delta Affairs, Usani Usani, former presidential aide, Okoi Obono-Obla, member House of Representatives Alex Alex Ogbonna have said they prefer to remain in Cross River State.
They and other key leaders of Cross River State central senatorial district, said they support every move made to actualise the creation of Ogoja State, but worry that the promoters of the movement for Ogoja State should not have added Abi and Yakurr LGAs which are in the central senatorial district to the list of local government areas which are to form the new Ogoja State.
They said, “We are and wish to remain in Cross River State. The promoters ought to have consulted with us before they submitted their proposals to the House of Representatives.”
In a statement signed on their behalf by the Chairman of Abi-Yakurr Peoples Assembly, Chief Patrick Iwara, and Secretary, Dr Sam Eno, they assured that Abi and Yakurr People are united in purpose to remain in Cross River State and that they are not opposed to the creation of Ogoja State.
“All the leaders of Abi and Yakurr Local Government Areas are in support of the move to remain in Cross River State.
“Whether Ogoja State is created or not, we are not against it. We want to remain in Cross River State as seen in the submission to the National Assembly.
“Besides our submission to the National Assembly, the Abi-Yakurr People Assembly also made its position known to the Ogoja State Creation Agitation Group. We state clearly that we are not against their advocacy and indeed we support it but we will not be in Ogoja State ab initio.”
Also reacting in a statement, a member representing Abi/Yakurr in the House of Representatives, Dr Alex Egbonna said, “I did not want people to think that I was against the aspiration of my friends who are pursuing a genuine agenda of a new state from the present Cross River State.”
“There was no time anybody approached me for a buy-in, neither did anybody get my consent in the drive for the Ogoja State. My hair was merely being barbed in my absence and I say here, for the avoidance of doubt, that I have never been part of those pushing for the creation of the Ogoja State.
He stated that he is in support of Ogoja State, and cannot be going in a different direction when the people whose interest he represents in the National Assembly have already taken a decision and have indicated where they prefer to remain as a people, which is Cross River State.
“That position has my full support and I am part of the signatories to the letter to the committee on state creation, where we made known our position as Abi/Yakurr people.”
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