Senator Sandy Onor who is one of the Cross River gubernatorial candidates of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), has warned the Governor, Ben Ayade not to obtain any further loans thereby increasing the State’s debt ratio.
According to him, the government is allegedly conniving with the state House of Assembly to borrow another ₦35 billion just to increase the debt burden from $279 million for the next government.
Onor who spoke at a news conference held at the NUJ press centre on Saturday minced no words when he declared that it was sheer wickedness for Ayade’s All Progressives Congress, APC, government to insist on doing so.
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He called on the people and stakeholders not to allow the state government so that the next government, which he believed to be his, will not be crippled before taking off.
However, he said even if they succeeded in their moves it would be illegal, because presently, and in the eyes of the law there is no House of Assembly in the state.
“Anything that carries the imprimatur of this assembly is null and void ab initio. This should therefore serve as a warning to all financial institutions in and outside Nigeria, not to grant any loan in whatever form, to the current government in Cross River State. This is because they will be doing so at very high risk.
“Until the courts pronounce otherwise, the assembly as currently constituted, cannot enact legally binding resolutions and laws,” he said.
The Cross River State Governor, Prof Ben Ayade, has congratulated Bola Tinubu on his victory as the presidential candidate of the All Progressives Congress for the 2023 presidential election.
According to a statement signed by his Special Adviser on Media and Publicity, Christian Ita, Ayade was quoted in a congratulatory message to Tinubu as expressing an “unwavering optimism that this soldier of democracy, who has seen it all, will lead our great party to victory.”
Ayade assured the APC presidential candidate of his total support at the polls.
He extolled Tinubu’s sterling qualities, saying “Your Excellency, from your NADECO days to the ACN era and then to your immeasurable contribution to the formation of the APC and its subsequent ascension to power, there is no doubt that you have laboured and sacrificed for democracy and its enthronement in our nation.
“Therefore, your emergence as the presidential candidate of our great party is a fitting and deserving reward for a man who has been in the trenches for democracy and good governance for decades now.
“I have an unwavering belief that as a soldier of democracy who has seen it all, you will lead the APC to seamless victory next year. Rest assured that as you look back, you will find me marching with you 100 per cent to the threshold of victory.
“I heartily and warmly congratulate you on this monumental milestone.