The Obong of Calabar, Édidem Ekpo Okon Abasi-Otu V
PATRICK ABANG, Calabar –
The Obong of Calabar’s Council, His Eminence Edidem Ekpo Okon Abasi Otu V, has refuted the widely publicized claim of a bus gift, circulated on newspapers and social media over two weeks now to have been given to the Palace by Senator Gershom Henry Bassey representing the Southern Senatorial District of Cross River State.
The Secretary of the Council, Etinyin Ekpo, who debunked the rumour in a telephone conversation with our correspondent said that they have never heard of such or have received such gift from Senator Bassey.
“I am very surprised to hear this and I speak as the Secretary of the Obong’s Council, we have not seen or received any bus from anyone”, Etinyin Ekpo said.
It will be recalled that on the 13th of July, 2021 the media was awash with news of Senator Gershom Bassey’s car gift to the Palace of the Obong.
A news item which was carefully crafted from the media unit of the Senator and disseminated through his officially recognized information channels with a picture evidence of used 32 seater bus being crested “Palace of the Obong of Calabar”.
Two weeks after, the investigative correspondent of The Warden decided to confirm the validity of such story as part of their ongoing National Assembly oversight program, only to discover it was a total misrepresentation of the truth in its worst form.
The Warden in its opinion wondered why a sitting Senator would decide to amuse the public with such deceit even around such a sensitive issue without any regard for the traditional stool, greatly revered by his people.
This would as an act validate the statement made by the Obong himself during the aftermath of #ENDSARS mayhem in Calabar, where His Eminence bitterly lamented the brazen neglect, poor treatment and disregard the Senator has for the traditional institution with his constant escape line “Obong, don’t worry, I will see you”, each time their part crosses at events.
Senator Bassey, who was widely criticized for putting up fake phone numbers on billboards round Calabar during his re-elections, was reached severally by our reporter to give his account of the incident but never took the call nor returned it.
