C/River govt marks PDP deputy gov candidate house, others for demolition

.Gov Otu shouldn’t cross the line of decency – Eba

By Ike Uchechukwu, CALABAR

The Cross River State Government has marked the residence of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, deputy governorship candidate for 2027, Mr Alphonsus Eba, along with others for demolition, triggering a defiant response from the politician who has vowed that nothing, not even death will stop his political ambition.

Operatives of the Cross River State Planning and Development Control Taskforce had, on Monday, pasted a demolition notice, with reference number CRS/PDCT/043, on the gate of Eba’s home in the Water Board Estate, Calabar, ordering an immediate halt to all activities on the property.

It reads in part: “Demolition Notice. By order of the Cross River State Planning and Development Control Taskforce. All work on this site must stop immediately. Violators will be prosecuted.”

According to the notice, Eba’s building, along with about 20 others, were unlawfully erected within the designated right-of-way of the Cross River State Water Board pipeline corridor.

“These developments constitute a violation of the provisions of the Cross River State Physical Planning and Development Law, the extant Town and Country Planning Regulations, and other applicable laws governing public utility corridors and environmental protection.

“The occupation and development of the Water Board pipeline right-of-way pose grave dangers to public health and safety, including: Obstruction of access for inspection, maintenance,repair and replacement of critical water infrastructure that is proposed by the concessionaire.

“It also increased the risk of pipeline rupture and contamination of potable water supply.

“Exposure of residents and adjoining communities to hazards capable of causing loss of lives and destruction of property.

“Environmental degradation and impairment of the integrity of public utility infrastructure; interference with the Government’s statutory obligation to provide safe and uninterrupted water supply to the public.

“These properties are threats to the overriding public interest and the general welfare of residents of Cross River State,” it explained.

Meanwhile, Eba has described the move as politically motivated and vowed not to be deterred with the move.

“If you like you destroy the house, if you like you kill me today, if you like you do anything to me, it would not stop me from running elections whether my body is alive or not, but my soul would be on the ballot.” He said.

Eba maintained that “I am over-determined. By the Grace of God, we are playing it decently. He should not cross the line of decency.

“Aspiration is not a crime. They were the ones who expelled me from the APC. It’s PDP that has resurrected me. To them, they had finished me politically. But PDP resurrected me. So they should thank the PDP.

“I am not in conflict with Gov. Otu personally. I am not fighting him; I gave him a mandate to become Governor, he paid me in bad coin, but God brought me out from the ground to glory.”

Similarly, the government has appealed to the people, particularly the political class, to quit playing politics with developmental matters.

The Commisioner for Information, Erasmus Ekpang Ph.D, noted that the notice may not be unconnected with the total overhauling of the Water Board to provide pipe borne water to Calabar residents.

He pointed out that 20 buildings, mostly belonging to appointees of the governor, including the immediate past Commissioner for Special Duties and the Cross River South senatorial candidate of the APC, Mr Oden Ewa, were affected.

Ekpang further explained that notices have previously been given to this effect and that those affected refused to act on them.

According to him, “This is not an issue that started today. Those affected by this notice were warned against buying and erecting these structures, but they didn’t take these warnings seriously.

“I would also like to appeal to the political class to stop playing politics with the issue of development.

“We need to support the government in her development,” Ekpang said

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