The Obong of Calabar, His Eminence, Edidem Ekpo Okon Abasi Otu V, on Friday condemned politicians for using the youths in the wrong way to become destructive against themselves and others.
Receiving former governor Liyel Imoke, who led a delegation to visit him following the rampage by some hoodlums that destroyed the property of government institutions and private investments, the Obong said he got information that he was listed among those to be attacked.
“Somebody like me that has not gained anything from the political class, if I may say so, my name was said to be in the list of the places to be attacked,” he said.
The Obong said he had been watching “and I am so unhappy that the peace and calm that we use to have here is taken away.”
“Why? Because the politicians have failed. That is why we sit down to watch you people. There is need to change. And if I had my way, I could have said this governor should wait. Let’s set up an interim administration then he starts learning and looking at how administration is actually done.”
He noted that the buck stops at the table of the governor as the Chief Security Officer of the state, stressing: “he should be holding security meeting regularly.” “This thing would not have happened if he had called the security people together after hearing what happened in Lagos and other places.
“Call them and tell them, ‘Look, my friends, nothing should happen in my state.’
”The key is that there has to be a change of attitude. Every one of you should have access to the governor, and he should listen.
“Please tell our Excellency (the governor), even though you say it is not time to put blame, whether you like it or not, the buck stops at his table and we have to have a solution to this problem.
“We have to face it right out there. We don’t need to play around with it. We cannot continue this way.
“You tell him that there is a need for total reconciliation; a total rehabilitation of whatever he has been doing.
“Everybody matters in this state. He should be able to talk to people. He wouldn’t call you. Even when you call him, he doesn’t answer the call. Nobody talks to him, but rather what are we doing? We are all running away.”
Speaking earlier, former Governor Liyel Imoke told the Obong of Calabar that in the wake of the incident, he thought it wise to seek the help and cooperation of the traditional institution in finding a way out of the problem.
“We do not understand the extent of the carnage. We are all victims of this incident. If you were not hit directly, you were hit indirectly.
“For me, I was hit directly. So also very many public officials, they were also hit directly.”
