I Will Defeat Ayade Again —Senator Jarigbe

Indeed, this September makes me one year in the Senate. I was inaugurated in the Upper legislative Chamber on September 15, 2021 after much political tussles. It was not an easy battle to the Senate because I fought against the state that was determined to have its way by hook or by crook. My journey to Senate was the longest ever because it lasted for about twelve months starting from senatorial primaries on September 5, 2020 to September 15, 2021, the day I was inaugurated. During all this period, I was focused and was not deterred because I knew then that the people of old Ogoja were with me. As you know, it was a battle between an incumbent Governor and member of the House of Representatives (HoR) then. So, it was not balanced at all and was a very herculean task but God had my back. So, I trudged on until we won in all the battles. To be frank, my contemporaries saw it as impossibility, but I was resolute, taking cognisance of the fact that power comes from God. Today, I am at the Senate and I return all the glory to God. However, being in the Senate has afforded me the opportunity of sharing the views of my older colleagues, appreciating their own perspectives of life, leveraging on their personal experiences and exposure. Legislative work is not so different between the House of Representatives and the Senate, but the Red Chamber is a different experience.

Everything about my emergence as Senator was divinely crafted. I am an Ogoja man of the Bakor extraction and coincidentally, I got inaugurated on the day Bakor people celebrate their New Yam festival. It was a pleasant coincidence and very symbolic. I am the first Ogoja Son to go to the Senate in this generation. History was made in our time.

All I can say to our people is Res ipsa Locuitur. The facts are there to speak for or against Ayade and I. Our people have a choice to make between service delivery and a mission of self-preservation by a self-seeking politician, on the other hand. Gov. Ayade was in the Senate for four years between 2011 and 2015 and his records are there for everyone to see. I have been in the Senate for about a year and my records are there to be assessed. It is as clear as crystals that juxtaposing my performance with his, mine will dwarf his. As a Governor, our state has become a sorry sight.  Taking all these into consideration, Gov. Ayade does not deserve being given any mandate to senate in 2023 by the people and so he is not a threat. Our people will reject him at the polls.

We are waiting for them to come and use the federal might. Power lies with the people. Why did they not use that federal might in Osun? We are not cowards and we will protect our votes. The democratic Will of the people must prevail. We know that political weaklings resort to unconventional ways but we will match them. All we will do is to mobilise our people to come out and vote. If we go by INEC and its commitment to enthrone a free and fair contest, then the issue of federal might does not arise. The people know who they want to lead them at the appropriate time. PDP has fielded quality and credible candidates for the 2023 general election and we are all not resting on our oars. So, we shall reclaim our state from the buccaneers that have held us hostage and pauperized our people. The party leadership is also not resting as they have set up a reconciliation committee made up of seasoned politicians to reconcile all aggrieved persons after the primaries. The committee has done a good job and I commend them and the party leadership. I am quite certain that the party would take their recommendation very seriously and we shall all come together and send the APC governor and the government packing.

My recommendation is proper reconciliation and not the several attempts at disparaging major gladiators. We are in a Democracy. We lobby people. We do not bully people to submission. We need to save this country and our democracy. PDP is the only hope Nigerians have at the moment to rescue this nation. PDP has the capacity and the leadership needed to take the nation out of the woods. However, there is no party without its internal challenges and we would get over it.

As cognate legislator, I hit the ground running immediately I got inaugurated. My first project as Senator, commenced on the day I was inaugurated. The project commenced in Gakem, Bekwarra LGA. It was the construction and installation of solar-powered street lights in Gakem. As we speak, I have projects in all the 54 wards of my senatorial district. I have also carried out empowerment programs in all the wards in my senatorial district. I have also sponsored about 5 Bills and one of them is before Mr. President for his Assent. That Bill is for the Establishment of a Federal Medical Center in Ogoja. On the bill for the Federal University of Agriculture Ogoja it is going through all the processes of legislation. We have done the public hearing and the report will be sent for consideration as we resume for plenary.

Last month, I took part in the inaugurated a 65-kilometre Okuku-Echumoga-road in Yala linking Benue and was awarded at N1.4bn by the Ministry of Works. There is also a 2 kilometers Ikaptang-Afrike road that would link Bekwarra and Ogoja communities. We have again asked for an intervention on the Ukelle road and it’s under consideration at the moment.

I have also embarked on massive rural water supply in 21 communities in Cross River North. The communities which cut across the 5 Local Government Areas of the Senatorial District include; Nyake/Nwang (Mfom 1, Ogoja), Central Mosque (Imaje Okuku, Yala), Akaraba (Gakem Ward, Bekwarra), Bewo (Otukpuru Ward, Bekwarra) Abuagbor (Abouchiche Ward, Bekwarra), Ukpada (Ugboro Ward, Bekwarra), Nwa Gba (Ukpah Ward, Bekwarra) Agida (Afrike Okpeche, Bekwarra) Ketting (Bendi Ward 1, Obanliku), Bagga (Utanga Ward, Obanliku), Bayaga (Bisu Ward, Obanliku), Sankwala (Bebi Ward, Obanliku).

Others include, Akorshi Owhe (Ketting 1, Obanliku), Bukemanya (Bisu Ward, Obanliku), Belinge (Becheve Ward, Obanliku),Begiaba (Obudu), Ukwel (Obudu), Ukwel (Obudu) Utugwang North (Obudu), Utugwang Central (Obudu) and Utugwang South (Obudu). I was challenged in this area because these are communities who have previously decried the perennial water shortage and lack of access to safe drinking water. They have been abandoned to their fate by the government of the state.

Rural water project is primarily meant to fulfill the basic needs of the people, as well as to ensure rights of access to safe domestic water, good health hygiene and other basic amenities by the affected communities. These are fundamental human rights issues recognised by the United Nation’s Sustainable Development Goals. The projects after completion will be handed over to members of the respective communities. There is no other secret than lobbying for my people and monitor all the projects that are due to my constituency.  Again,, my mission is to try and attract people –oriented projects that would make life more meaningful to my constituents and that is the essence of representation at any level of governance or leadership.