Due to the vicissitudes of this juncture as triggered by the force of 2019 political uncertainty in our nation, Nigeria, a lot of political particles have been energized for their ultimate interest which is not alien to our kind of politics.
Those suffering from political apathy are being schooled via electoral education by civil society groups and political campaign organizations on how to exercise their franchise. While these ups and downs are taking place during this electioneering, politicians and their protégés are shifting camp and equally switching party. Of course, every cattle wants to graze in greener pasture.
Penultimate weeks ago, the senator representing Cross River central senatorial district, Sen. John Owan Enoh declared his intention to contest in the gubernatorial race under the platform of the All Progressive Congress, APC. It shook the state's political platform to its base.
Since his declaration, he has been navigating his voyages across the tumultuous northern routes in the state to woo supports from the people who believes that the office of the governor has been conventionally zoned to them (North). Truly, he has courted the affections of not a few. The boisterous slogan is owanified or owanification which shall be used interchangeably. Like cyclonic wind, he blew away many traditional Peoples Democratic Party's, PDP faithfuls to his camp, the APC.
The Owanified movement has equally attracted many political bigwigs across parties in the entire state. Some of the bigwigs are the disgruntled and internally displaced persons (IDPs) in PDP. Some joined the Owanification movement for what they believe the candidature of Owan Enoh's means for the state and not for personal aggrandizement as some greenhorns social media commentators are pontificating.
In the voyage of Owanification is Hon. Gabe Ugor the baritone erstwhile council chairman of Yala LGA during the dispensation of Sen. Liyel Imoke. Few days ago, I got WhatsApp message from a cousin and I read from some pages on social media where some people described Hon. Gabe as "Judas Iscariot and traitor".
What were his crimes? He joined the Owanification. Why would people hurled vitriols at someone simple because he was seen associating with some political opponents? Does Gabe owes any unbridgeable political allegiance to stay put even in perilous time and in averse conditions in PDP? Why should one's personality and reputation be smeared by hirelings in our clime for changing political affiliation? Does one not have the right to associate freely again without been vituperated?
The 1999 constitution of the federal republic of Nigeria as amended in 2011; the African Banjul for Human and People's Rights as well as the United Nations Declarations on Human's Rights expressly and succinctly empowers every individual the inealiable, unassailable and inviolable right to freely associate with people or association as it pleases him or her provided such mingling does not infringed on the right of another.
The foregoing culminated to the unearthing of unknown Gabe's sterling and impeccable performance or achievement as council chairman of Yala LGA. He does not need much introduction as he's a household name in Cross River State. But by way of starting the obvious, let me avow emphatically that Hon. Gabe Idagu Ugor is a very courageous eminent statesman. He's a distinguished, meticulous and prudence accountant with lofty ideas. His passionate interest in the welfare of children is second to none. Hence, he fought tirelessly against all forms of child abuse by enforcing the Child Rights law in Yala.
Mr. Gabe took over the reins as council chairman on 15th December, 2010 as the 12th administrative head of Yala LGA with the pellucid vision of making Yala LGA an agricultural hub in the state with a healthy, prosperous and well educated people.
Yala under his indefatigable superintendent witnessed unprecedented paradigm shift in leadership. There were transformational and translational changes in governance. These changes had effects in Agriculture; Infrastructure, Education, Economic, Health, etc.
Since Yala is predominantly farming people; and cassava is the most common farm produce (Yam is the major). In the light of the aforesaid, he procured a specie of cassava that's rich in vitamin A+ from ITTA Ibadan which were planted on about 12 hectares of land in Okpoma and another 8 hectares in Cross River Basin Development Authority, Ijegu. Today, this specie of cassava is found in every farmer's farm. During his tenure, there used to be bumper harvest as farmers were usually given free fertilizer and Agricultural Extension personnel train them on new farming techniques.
His infrastructural drive was superb. He refurbished and rehabilitated dilapidated public amenities. He built the ultra modern Legislative Complex at the Secretariat, Okpoma. Sank many boreholes across the 14 council wards to provide potable water in order to reduce the stress of trekking long distances to fetch water by the people.
In education, this sector was given deserved priority attention. In fostering and restoring the decaying standard of education, the council under his able watch constructed six classroom blocks with staff rooms; headmaster's office, WC toilet and borehole with overhead tank in Alifokpa and Ngoloma in Mfuma/ Ntrigom wards.
Before his emergence, most pupils in primary schools sat on barefloor due to lack of seats. To ameliorate such menace, he procured and distributed 3,000 unit of desks to primary schools plus 120,000 exercise books. Yala students in tertiary institutions smiled to the banks as he paid them bursary (That was the last time Yala students got bursary).
The total number of 10 primary school buildings were constructed from scratch to finish in collaboration with Cross River State Community Social Development Agency (CSDA). These buildings (primary schools) are found in Ogeke Yache; Ogbaniko Okuku, Ijiraga south Ukelle, Woleche Utukpo, Ijegbeji Mfuma, Ijegu community secondary school, Science Laboratory in Gabu community secondary school, Egbeje and primary school Wodah.
To be continued...
Comr. Ogar, Emmanuel Oko
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