A letter written by former Governor of Cross River State, Mr. Donald Duke, after the defection of the incumbent Governor Ben Ayade in the state from the Peoples’ Democratic Party (PDP) to the ruling All Progressive Congress (APC) has become a cause of concern to the PDP
The PDP was in high spirits after Ayade’s defection and telling people in the state that even though they have lost Governor Ayade who defected from the party, they have gained Duke, a former state governor who still enjoys popularity in the state.
Asked in a press conference to confirm if truly Duke was back to the PDP, the Chairman of the State PDP Caretaker Committee, Mr. Efiok Cobham responded, “Yes. I gladly say yes.”
But a day after that public confirmation by Cobham, former Governor Duke who had left the PDP some years after his tenure ended in 2007 subsequently became the presidential candidate of the Social Democratic Party (SDP) in the 2019 elections in Nigeria wrote a letter, titled “My Statement of Return”.
In the letter Duke said, “A lot is being said about my return to the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP. Truth is, I reunited with the party almost a year ago now, but in spirit I never left the ideals for which the party was founded upon. It is rather unfortunate that Governor Ben Ayade who constantly egged me to rejoin the party has himself had cause to leave.”
He maintained that Gov. Ayade’s defection to the APC was a rather unfortunate decision for which he “neither support nor condemn”, as he “is not privy to the details except his (Ayade’s) complaints of being stifled and unappreciated by the leadership of the party and certain elements of Cross River State origin at Abuja.
Duke explained that “In our early to mid-thirties buoyed by optimism and faith in our state and nation, we took a plunge into the unknown world of politics. Providence smiled at us and thrust us into the limelight and leadership of national politics.”
He went on in the statement and then said “post 2007; the party’s fortune started ebbing in Cross River State as an autocratic leadership style emerged, communication with its followers declined and emergence in the party was determined largely not by the party constitution or structures but by the whims of the State’s Chief Executive”.
He noted that “this is the structure Governor Ayade inherited and has largely led us to where we are today. The very top down political style we fought against prior 1999, instead of consultation, accommodation and inclusion reared its head to the extent that founding members of the party in the state, including former state chairmen, senators, members of the National Assembly and I, over time opted out and this attrition has continued unabated to the extent that the governor himself has left to seek pasture elsewhere.”
“I believe it is important that we provide the same opportunities that democratic inclusion afforded us in our youth to other young people as they prepare to take over the mantle of leadership,” Duke further maintained.
Worried by the letter attributed to Duke, the PDP Caretaker Committee on Friday in a letter signed by the Chairman and Secretary of the Committee, Mr. Efiok Cobham and Mr. Eko Atu responded to Duke.
The response read thus; “our attention has been drawn to a widely circulated statement on social media credited to his Excellency Mr. Donald Duke, former Governor of Cross River State. Given the vagaries of the social media space, we would have ignored the statement as it is not signed. But since there has been no rebuttal from Mr. Duke, we are constrained to respond in assumption of its authenticity”.
“We congratulate his Excellency Donald Duke for finding the courage to re-join the party on whose platform he twice contested and won elections as Governor of Cross River State. It is our firm belief that his coming back to the party is not only indicative of the party’s strength in the state, but more importantly, will help in rebuilding a strong and virile party”.
“The party would like to caution all stakeholders that this is a time for building, restoration and reconciliation. It is not a time for trading blame. The larger purpose of the development of Cross River State should remain our unwavering focus and should insulate party stakeholders from all distractions.”
Duke and his successor, former Governor Liyel Imoke are believed to have fallen apart in friendship after Imoke took over in 2007 and governed till 2015 when he handed over to Governor Ayade and preferred to remain the leader of the PDP in the State.
