YALA LGA ELECTIONS : CHAIRMANSHIP ASPIRANTS IN FOCUS ( GODWIN OFFIONO Esq )

As politicians and the electorate begin the countdown to next month's Council elections in Cross River State, candidates/ aspirants of most political parties are bracing up for any exigency. TheScribe examines the aspirants in view of their relative political strength in picking the various chairmanship's tickets.

The race for who becomes the executive chairman of the second most populated Local Government Area, LGA in population density and landmass in Cross River State has just begun. According to the official gazette of the 2006 population census, Yala was standing at 210, 843 by estimation making it the second largest LGA after Akpabuyo that stood at 271, 395.

The people of this LGA are in dire need of a council chairman or chairlady. A number of aspirants are jotling for the council's top job. Good number of factors shall be considered as there may likely affect the aspirants. As earlier promised in our penultimate post, TheScribe shall beam its searchlight at the various aspirants/candidates irrespective of variance of political affiliation.

Yala comprises of bi-sectional state constituencies, namely constituency I and II with the total of 14 council wards. Constituency I which is the where the main Yala speaking tribe are found has 8 wards and the rest 6 are found in constituency II. The outgone council boss, Hon. Mike Usibe comes from the second constituency and now, power is being shifted to the former.

On the 30th of October 2017, in the meeting with all political parties in the state, the chairman of Cross River State Independent Electoral Commission ( CROSIEC) , Dr. Mike Ushie in all modesty, assured parties that LGA elections would hold anything time in December this year.

In Yala, contenders and pretenders have entered the race. As promised, our searchlight is beaming bright and on the radar today is Mr. Godwin E. Odey Offiono a frontline aspirant. As the December LGA polls approaches in the state, serious underground preparations and permutations are on top gear among the chairmanship aspirants / candidates in the various parties.

Barr. Godwin Offiono alias Goffio is the principal partner and founder of Offiono & Offiono, a top commercial law firm headquartered in the federal capital territory, Abuja. He is a consummate grassroots politician and a proponent of youths in politics. He has always been a champion of civic betterment and unrepentant advocate for justice for the oppressed as exemplified in the legal pursuit for the late Joy Odama.

Goffio as he is fondly called is a fluent speaker and a tower of strength for his teeming supporters. He is an experienced politicians that have had the privileges of serving both in private and public capacities . As an undergraduate, he was the president of the National Association of Yala Local Government Students, University of Calabar Chapter, NAYLOGS-UCC between 1995 to 1996. In 1996 through 1998, he was the Secretary General and later the chairman of Global Sports Incorporated, the organiser of the famous Malabo World Cup for two academic sessions in Unical.

In training and qualifications, Godwin Offiono studied Law in Unical and was called to the Nigerian Bar in 2000. He had stints with legal firms like Andy lgboekwe & Co and Rhodes & Rhodes all in Lagos as Research Counsel and Litigation Officer respectively where he cut his teeth in advocacy practice.

In 2011, the erstwhile governor of Cross River State, HE, Sen. Liyel Imoke appointed him the Director / Secretary ( Legal Unit) of Cross River State Signage and Advertisement Agency (CRISSAA). And in 2013-2015, he rose to the rank of Director of Operations of CRISSAA through dint of handwork.

Mr. Offiono has continued to develop his intellect through relevant academic pursuits. He holds certificates in Public Administration and in Journalism from the prestigious University of Calabar, Cross River State and Irish Academy of Public Relations, Dun Laoghaire Dublin. In 2003, Mr. Offiono was the candidate of the defunct National Democratic Party, NDP for the office of the State House of Assembly for Yala I constituency.

He has considered himself experienced and prepared to lead Yala local government as chairman of council. It is worthy of mentioning that there are three geopolitical blocks in Yala I constituency viz Western and Eastern Yala and Gabu/Yache block. He is from Okuku ward under Eastern Yala. Luckily for him, his ward had never produced substantive executive chairman, sole administrator or caretaker committee chairman since the inception of the LGA.

His chances of clinching his party's ticket are very fat and possible if consultations, consolidation and goodwill of the people would affect the delegates' consciences positively. Already, the core Ayade men (Mr. Jude Ngaji, Barr. Alphonsus Ogar Eba, Dr. Stephen Odey, Mr. Omaga Odo ,etc) are his associates and one would be right to say that they are fully standing by him.

His campaign 'chairman', the CEO of Solomon Island, Mr. Ogar Solomon Ogar is doing great job to galvanise supports for him. Today, the social domain is overwhelmed with Godwin Offiono's campaign activities. His greatest challenge would be the interest of the few cabal.

Ayi, ayi Yala, behold your council's chairmanship aspirant, Mr. Godwin Offiono Esq who is running on the platform of PDP.

Next on the radar is Declan Ogar Genesis.
Comr. Ogar, Emmanuel Oko
Publisher of TheScribe and Observer.

Culled from TheScribe.

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