The immediate past Governor of Cross River State, Senator Liyel Imoke has expressed disappointment over the ‘poor ‘ performance of his successor, Senator Ben Ayade in his first two years in office.
The former Governor who blasted Ayade while speaking at the seventh edition of ‘The Bridge Leadership Foundation’ public lecture held at the International Conference Center in Calabar said that even as a ‘sleeping Governor ‘ as he was fondly called by his critics, he performed well above the current Governor.
Imoke said that, “When I was governor, you people said I was a sleeping governor, but I think you would appreciate a sleeping governor who constructed rural roads across the 18 LGAs than what you have now,” he said in apparent reference to Ayade’s poor performances.
But the Chief [Press Secretary and Senior Special Adviser to Governor Ben Ayade on Media who was the Chief Press Secretary to the immediate past Governor, Liyel Imoke, Mr Christian Ita told DAILY POST on phone on Friday that former Governor, Liyel Imoke never blasted Governor Ben Ayade.
He maintained that Senator Liyel Imoke never said that. Speaking in Pidgin English, Ita said that it was a common thing in Governor Imoke to say people said he was a sleeping Governor, “he had been saying this before, that people have been complaining that he was a sleeping and he has brought somebody who is active now.”
”He never questioned the performance of Prof Ben Ayade, he will never, just leave that aside.”
He said people just play mischief, saying, “if you know Senator Liyel Imoke, you will know he never said that. Imoke can never say that.
“If it were some other persons, I would say yes because some people are arrogant but for Imoke, he has not said such, just leave it at that. We should know individuals,” he stated.
