2027: Cold War As Otu Stops Sen Asuquo's Annual Cultural Show ...Constituents Kick
Ndifereke BASSEY
THE cold war between Governor Bassey Otu of Cross River state and Senator Asuquo Ekpenyong, Jnr, ahead of 2027 general election is gradually coming to the fore as the later's cultural show, NKOT MBOK, was scuttled for inscrutable security reason.
NKOT MBOK is coming together of various cultural Ekpe masquerades, traditional dancers, women youths groups to celebrate peace and unity of Efik nation.
The cultural show, it was learnt, has been on for over a decade with Asuquo Ekpenyong as the lead sponsor. It is a merry-making sort of event that has always brought some youths together and aimed at promoting Efik culture.
This year event was slated for Saturday, January 25, 2025.
But due to no love post between Gov Otu and Ekpenyong, this year' s cultural show seems to have run into troubled waters.
for quite some time now, there has been no love post between Governor Otu and Sen Ekpenyong, leading to mutual suspicion and political brickbats.
THE BEAGLE NEWS authouritatively gathered that the alleged mistrust between the two kinsmen, who hail from Odukpani local government area of Cross River, started ahead of the 2023 general elections in which the duo had campaigned vigorously for the governorship seat in APC with Otu subsequently emerging as party standard flag bearer after much horse trading.
Following Otu' consensus emergence, Ekpenyong was compensated with the Senate ticket to represent the Southern senatorial district, and since then there has bee6n discreet cold war between Otu' s supporters and that of Ekoenyong's.
However, the cold war got to a climax when the Office of the State Security Adviser on Friday, January 24, 2025 issued a statement stopping the hosting of annual cultural show, NKOT MBOK, slated for Saturday, January 25, 2025 and sponsored by Senator Asuquo Ekpenyong.
The three paragraph terse statement with reference No. SSG/SSO/430/S.1/Vol.11/408 titled PUBLIC SERVICE ANNOUNCEMENT and signed by the State Security Adviser, Major General O. U. Obono, reads in part: "The attention of the office of the State Security Adviser has been drawn o plans by some elements to perpetrate mayhem within the state under the guise of NKOT MBOK, without due compliance with Sections 1, 2 and 3 of the Masquerades (Control) Law of Cross River State and permit from relevant authorities.
"Consequently, the leaders/organisers of such group(s) are warned to suspend the planned activity forthwith otherwise, they shall be made to face the full wrath of the law.
Defaulters will be prosecuted."
In a subtle reaction, Sen. Asuquo Ekpenyong cakes for dialogue between the office of SSA and the organisers of NKOT MBOK to find a middle cause.
A statement signed by the Senior Legislative Aide to Senator Asuquo Ekpenyong, Ted Inyang, reads in part: "It has come to the attention of Senator Asuquo Ekpenyong,the invited guest of honor of the 2025 Nkot Mbok event, that the State Security Adviser to the Governor has suspended the Nkot Mbok annual event scheduled for tomorrow, Saturday, January 25, 2025 as communicated in the letter signed by the SSA.
"Consequently, he has informed the organizers of the Nkot Mbok event that they should meet and engage with the State Security Adviser to the Governor to clarify and resolve issues raised in the letter from the SSA.The general public is invited to please note."
Findings by THE BEAGLE NEWS further revealed that the organisers of the Nkot Mbok had done the needful as it had earlier connected the different security formations in the state including DSS, Police, FRSC and Civil Defence ahead of the event. Nkot Mbok's cultural show has been on for over a decade and no government or security agents have ever stopped them because they observe all necessary protocols needed before hosting the event.
They expressed surprise that Governor Otu could clamp down on them on the flimsy excuses of attempting to cause mayhem, adding "it is purely political and we take it as one of those things we see in our polity especially when you are not wanted ."
As at the time of sending going to press, stern-looking security operatives had cordoned off Government Secondary School Play filed at Atu, venue of the event just as the organisers had dismantled the well-decorated podium.
Some constituents, who bared their minds condemned government action, wondering why wait for the last minute before issuing a statement stopping the annual event.
A constituent from Calabar South, who simply gave his name as Effiong Okokon Effiong, said: "Stopping Nkot Mbok does not solve the problem rather has shown that Governor Otu is openly fighting Senator Asuquo from all ramifications. And this doesn't not augur well for the Efik nation."
Also speaking, Bassey Eyo Bassey who hails from Bakassi, said: "Why fight the young man that is not fighting the state. How can holding our Efik cultural show constitute a security threat? This government seems to be fighting everybody perceived as an enemy and that is not right.
"Obong of Calabar had called for caution and we had expected our dear Governor and his aides to thread cautiously on this Sen. Ekpenyong's anti posture. The election is still far away. They are starting the battle too early in the day. We need peace in Efik kingdom"
But the SSA to Governor Bassey Otu on digital media, Ekanem Essien, disagreed that the ban of Nkot Mbok is politically motivated.
He said, in a social post, that the stopping of the cultural show was as a result of inability of the organisers to get security clearance.
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