Cross River cannot afford to have another violent protest – Group

Ahead of the 1st August 2024 planned protest over the hardship and hunger plaguing the country, a group, made up of youths, has come out to appeal to those planning to protest in Cross River State.

The group under the umbrella of South South APC Support Groups Leadership Caucus and the Office of the SA to the Governor on APC Support Groups, disclosed this in a joint World Press Conference held on Wednesday in Calabar.

According to Comrade Iso Bassey Edim, Vice Chairman of the South South APC Support Groups Leadership Caucus, the agitators should use dialogue rather than protesting.

Edim said following the history of protest in Cross River, especially the #EndSARS protest that wreaked havoc in 2020, the State cannot afford to have another violent protest.

The groups said that as much as hardship is plaguing the nation, Governor Bassey Otu has been distributing palliatives and also using other means to cushion the effect of the hardship caused by fuel subsidy removal by President Bola Tinubu in 2023.

“In Advocacy and Agitation for Good Governance and Effective Representation, there are principles and modus to be followed and the most important “modus operandi” is following the three (3) C Principles of Consultation, Consolidation and finally Confrontation.

“In the arrangement of the Prospective Protesters, they have refused to apply the needed principles, only resorting to the last option which is protest. In as much as every citizen has the constitutional right to express himself/herself through protest and any other form of agitation, protest is never the best way to go first.

“Cross River State cannot afford to have another violent protest as we are yet to recover from the last “END SARS” Protest which led to the destruction of properties worth Billions of Naira and also inflicted injuries to a lot of families who lost their loved ones to the violent protest whose perpetrators were mostly non-indigenes of Cross River and do not have any business with the State.

“Cross Riverians are peace-loving people and also know how to address their pressing issues and would never resort to the destruction of their hard-earned assets which cost the State so much to put in place.

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“Our beloved Governor of Cross River State His Excellency Ntufam Senator Prince Bassey Edet Otu has been so passionate and caring about the people of Cross River State by giving palliatives to Cross Riverians of all facets which range from Rice, Beans, Garri and Monies to Traditional Rulers, Religious Institutions, Youths, Women, Students, his own APC Party faithful’s and other Political Parties in the State through Inter-Party Advisory Council, IPAC etc.

“It is also known to Cross Riverians that billions of Naira have been distributed to Farmers, Businessmen/Women and other classes of people to reduce the effect of the fuel subsidy removal and more monies and palliatives are still on the way to ameliorate the suffering of the masses. So a true Cross Riverian would never embark on any destructive protest.

“On this note, we call on all Security agents to be on the lookout for the planners of this unwanted protest in our State through thorough searching of vehicles coming into the State from now henceforth. Security should also be on alert around the waterways and other Red Lines/Areas in the State Capital and its environs.

“We hereby advise Hotel owners to put in place some measures to scrutinise their guests as information available to us is that the prospective perpetrators of this unwanted/planned protest would start coming into the State Capital and shall be lodging in the various hotels in Calabar, even as we recommend the closure of any hotel that would harbour/accommodate these strangers elements who’s assignment is to destroy our beloved State just as they did during the END SARS protest.

“The Governor/Government of Cross River State runs an open door policy where ideas and good suggestions are welcomed and even put into practice which are seen and witnessed by Cross Riverians so anyone or Group of persons who has any good idea should do well to approach the Governor of the State and not protest in our dear State.

“On Wednesday the 17th of July 2024, the Executive Governor of Cross River State distributed hundreds of speed boats, outboard engines, fishing materials and millions of Naira to fishermen and women across the 18 Local Government Areas of the State, and other materials for artisans are on their way, so what business do Cross Riverians have with protest?

“Finally, we are Cross Riverians who THINK CROSS RIVER and would never support anything that would drag our dear State backwards.

“We hereby declare our unalloyed sincere support and loyalty to His Excellency the Governor of Cross River State whose appointments cut across political Party lines even as we specially appreciate him for recognising support Groups in the State through the appointment of Special Assistant on Support Groups Matter and other key stakeholders of Support Groups,” they said.