18th July, 2023.
Press Release
A Cross River-based civil society under the aegis of Action Youths for Cross Rivers Advancements (AYCRA) has berated some people behind some malicious social media articles aimed at discrediting the national woman leader of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Dr Betta Chimaobim Edu.
In a statement signed by the convener of the group, Bassey Emmanuel and made available to newsmen on Tuesday, he called the bluff of the interests sponsoring the campaign of calumny against Dr Betta, even as he warned enemies of Cross River people who are bittered by the rising profiles of the women leader to be guided in their bitterness or face the dare consequences
The group frowned at so many ridiculous narrations advanced by one faceless Daniel Egbe all as a plot to blackmail the women leader and ensure she’s painted black before president Bola Ahmed Tinubu whom she worked assiduously for during the last political struggles . Mr Daniel Egbe is therefore advised to pursue his political agenda with civility and showcase his capacity instead of displaying inferiority complex before a woman of virtue.
The group in their report urges Cross River people to discountenance all negative narrations against Dr Betta , whose background and family history have never been subject of ambiguity . AYCRA described the report as “a smear campaign, falsehood and libelous capable of instigating ethnic tension in the State .
“This is among fore reasons social media should have mechanisms to check these abuses. Some people somewhere cannot just sit and concort untrue reports about some dignified personalities and get away with it. They bring perilous allegations against people who have achieved great success in their chosen careers while cowardly hiding behind some keyboards. They will send these kind of submissions to different groups where some people will be misinformed and they will take it as truths.
Of course we are aware it’s all spurred by political rivalry, arising from feelings that the women leader may be considered for national appointment by the new government, the political merchants who felt so bittered with Dr Betta credentials are trying all sinister plots to demarket her , without considering the larger loss this may mean to women constituency
“As a group, our candid advice to those agents of destruction is that they should wait for their time , for the sky is wide enough to accommodate birds of different species . Dr Betta did not force all this , she worked for it and has demonstrated capacity that convinced power brokers about the can do it spirit of an average cross river people.
For the record, Dr Betta was a successful technocrat and season health expert before venturing into politics. Infact , her amazing services to enhance community health informed the reason why she was noticed for political offices . Since her coming to politics, she has demonstrated exceptional competence in various capacities she’d had to serve both at the state and the national level of government.
Aside her landslide contributions to cross river health sector , she has also raised the bar of hope for women who are looking forward to make impact with their lives and resources .
We therefore implore Cross River people to support their own , rally round such a woman who’s making us proud home and abroad with her leadership prowess and political influence .
Signed :
Emmanuel Bassey
Convener,
Action Youths for Cross Rivers Advancements, (AYCRA).
