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Bakassi: PDP chieftain blames Akwa
Ibom, Cross River government
By Bassey Inyang,
Correspondent, Calabar
The October 10, 2002 judgement of the
International Court of Justice (ICJ), which ordered the government of Nigeria
to transfer the sovereignty of the Bakassi peninsula to Cameroun would have
been avoided if the governments of Akwa Ibom and Cross River states had
exhibited cooperation and understanding over claims to the ownership of the
territory.
Making the observation in Calabar, a
foremost industrialist and chieftain of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP),
Otuekong Sunny Jackson Udoh stated that despite the judgement the Bakassi
situation can be handled through the effective cooperation of the two states.
He spoke at the post tenure award dinner
for persons from the two states who had served in public capacity
meritoriously.
Udoh, who spoke in his capacity as chairman
of the occasion packaged by the Cross River-Akwa Ibom Consultative Assembly
(CRACA), said a lot can still be done to keep Bakassi peninsula in Nigeria.
He pointed out the present political,
economic and social circumstances, which the nation finds itself demands the
full cooperation of the people of the two states, adding that the people must
come closer and work for their coming good.
According to Udoh, who is the chairman of
Jackson Devos Limited, those fanning the embers of discord between the two
states are bereft of the reasons and importance of the creation of the two
states from the former Cross River State.
He said the act was God’s divine
intervention “designed at promoting rapid development of the two
states”.
Udoh stated that the people must learn from
the examples of the southeast and north who although have so many states, do
not look at themselves as being different.
“Whether you are from Imo, Abia or
Anambra, the Igbo man sees you as someone with common goals and destiny, same
for the northerners. We must emulate this example”, the chairman
declared.
The chairman also spoke against the
pull-him-down syndrome, saying in the past, the penchant to write petitions
against persons appointed into public offices slowed down the pace of
development of the two states.
Udoh advised that the people must change
the practice in their own interest.
The chairman of CRACA, retired Major Alex
Ekene said the association, which has the goals of forging unity between the
two states, has mapped out peoples empowerment schemes, and ways of providing
employment for the youths of the state.
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