Leadership of the Concerned Cross Riverians for Progressive and Continous Change (CCRPCC), has protested the petition of alleged corruption written by the Network Against Corruption and Trafficking Initiative against former governor of Cross River State, Ben Ayade.

In a statement made available to newsmen, the Convener, Comrade Olofu Ushie on Wednesday, described NACAT as peddlers of false and skewed allegations, workers without pay, and puppets of high-end shadow parties.

Ushie, stated that the coalition is reacting to the recent request of NACAT tasking the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) to open an investigation against the former governor for alleged misappropriation of funds during his time in office.

“Our attention has been drawn to recent drama of interest played by the Network Against Corruption and Trafficking Initiative against the former governor of our dearly beloved state, Ben Ayade. It is no news that NACAT have overtime portrayed themselves as warriors of justice, conveners of good governance and promoters of accountability, when in true essence they are just a group of people looking out for weaknesses of performing stewards both past and present to enrich and fatten their pockets.

“We wonder why they always pitch themselves in a light that depicts them as witch-hunters. They said in their recent statement, that they are seeking closure and accountability for the good people of Cross River State for the eight years that Ayade was governor, we wonder who tasked them to do so. We wish to by this statement as direct citizens of the state, unequivocally state that NACAT, has no right whatsoever to delve into the matter of Cross River State, they should fight the issues predominant in their states, Cross River is not a dumping ground for maliciousness or witch-hunting.

“NACAT, Again! please leave Cross River Issues alone and focus on your State, it was your governor who allegedly took his state money and funded the presidential elections that ended in woes. Your governers ranging from past to present were besieged with numerous corruption charges, yet NACAT, Tega S. Oghenedoro, has never requested for their arrest, interrogation, investigation or prosecution. It was in the news in June 2023, that your former governor, misappropriated over N1.7trillion naira, we didnt see this effort from NACAT, when their state was tagged the 10th most indebted states in the country, where was this effort from NACAT?

“We believe this is a case of another blackmail attempt gone wrong or didn’t go as expected, because we know that the founder of that initiative, has been in the news for so many cases of alleged blackmailing. Infact everybodywiki.com, has it that Tega Oghenedora with pen name Fejiro Oliver, who is the founder of Network Against Corruption and Trafficking (NACAT), was at some point arrested at the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport, for allegedly demanding for a N40 million bribe to kill a story.

“Ben Ayade remains the best Governor Cross River State, has ever produced despite been the state with the second least allocations. While in office, he was still able to imprint his name in the sands of time for his creative innovations and digitalisation. We are not stopping NACAT from doing the job that pays them, but while at it, they should atleaat embrace decorum and keep bias miles away, to avoid perception of witch-hunting.

“The anti-graft agencies are diligent in their job, they know how to do the jobs they were employed for, it should never be the place of NACAT to tell EFCC, ICPC others, how to do their jobs. They seem to be trying to force the hands of the anti-graft agencies by their numerous press statements and requests. We advise them to allow the Economic Financial Crimes Commission to do their job.The EFCC is an institution of public service that is crucial to sanitising Nigeria, its hands should not be forced to action by threats, words and the demands of one NGO.” He added.