Deputy governorship candidate of the PDP in Cross River State, Alphonsus Ogar Eba has raised the alarm about his safety, alleging that his life is in danger. His outcry comes at the same time that the government of Senator Bassey Out has ordered the demolition of his house located within the state waterboard complex.
Ironically, the sitting deputy governor, Peter Odey, as well as many other top politicians and their relatives, including the current chief of staff, Government House, Dr Emmanuel Ironbar and a former minister of humanitarian affairs, Betta Edu, also have property in within the same premises.
In an interview with TNN on Monday night, Eba, a former chairman of the APC in the state and close ally of the immediate past governor, Senator Ben Ayade, said he escaped an attack by suspected assassins recently and was afraid that some persons were after his life.
“Ever since I left them (APC) and joined here (PDP), they have made several attempts on me. On the 11th of May, they wanted to take my life; four armed persons with machete came to block me at the waterboard gate (where I live) as I was about to fly out of Calabar to Abuja.
“I just kept that one quit because I don’t want to give them unnecessary publicity and again now they are coming with this one (the demolition of my house).
“They have been so rattled by my aspiration to become deputy(governor) and joining the PDP. Well, as God will always say for anybody God wants to finish, the stages of getting you deaf and dumb, blind and mad before finishing is what I can see going on and we trust in God, let’s see how they want to do it.
“Of course, it’s not safe to say that my life is in danger. I am putting all the petitions across and I will now let the public know what I am going through.”
On the plot to demolish his house, Eba said he was not served the demolition notice, but was informed that a notice to that effect was pasted on his building when he was away. Saying he was aware that others have been served the same notice, Eba however lamented that he and others who were connected to Ayade were the main target and that nothing would happen to others.
“What they have given as reason, they said our houses are standing on a water pipeline, that is the only reason they have given. Government is a continuum. I have always known that the area which is today a residence for all of us, it used to be an integral part of waterboard.
“But I think they had to set up different water boards in Ugep, Ikom, Yala, Ogoja and Abi and once they did that, they said pipes here cannot continue to run all through there. So it was now been decentralized.
“Then the place became like a forest, farm area that there was nothing being put to use again. From the Liyel(Imoke) time, towards Ayade government, that was when the state executive council took that decision and say this place should be converted to residential area.
“There were no issues of any pipes. I don’t know which pipe they’re talking about and I know it’s politics they are playing, but God in Heaven will not allow them. I think basically from what I have seen, one of Ayade’s niece called Agede, a permanent secretary, was served.
“One of Dr Frank’s (Ayade) manager, Chris in Mega Hilton was served, where Ayade’s sister has a house. I think it is targeted at people close to Ayade. That’s what I have seen.”
