Cross River youths vow to disrupt elections over bad roads

Why they are angry: They expressed anger over the fact that it has been 55 years since former Head of State, General Yakubu Gowon rode in a convoy on it, and action was pledged on the roads; yet, till date, nobody has remembered the road nor the natives.

The Vow: The natives have, therefore, vowed that they will not allow the general election to hold in the community.

The people described what they go through on the road as “sufferings”.

Voice of the youths: Kingsley Mfah, one of the youth leaders said, “We have resolved that no elections will hold in our communities since no political office holder means well, remembers us or speaks for us.

“We have resolved that if we can’t find anyone who means well for our community, we won’t vote in the elections. Elections will not be conducted in our community, because we have been marginalized. How can a community survive without basic infrastructure like access road?

“They have been deceiving us. We are tired of all the lies that they are telling us, while we keep suffering.”

From an Elder's perspective: A traditional leader, Chief Livinus Mfono Nto, Village Head Ngoh Etingta village Nta-West Autonomous Community said, “The Nta-Nsele-Edor Road links our communities from Edor to Obubra. But it has been in a very pitiable state for decades.

“The road is supposed to lead to Ogoja. The Ikom Ogoja road was originally supposed to follow here, but because we don’t have people in government to speak for us, we have been suffering a lot.”

He explained that the road existed before the Nigeria-Biafra Civil War.

“When General Yakubu Gowon came to Ogoja in 1967-1968, he passed through this road. Then the Ikom-Ogoja road wasn’t founded it. But since over 50 years) this road has remained like this.”

How the monarch concluded: The monarch commended the local youths who have been toiling to manually rehabilitate the road over the years to ease access into the surrounding communities.