By Abasi Ita, Calabar
Political observers are watching with keen interest as tension continued to mount in Cross River arising from the looming rift between Governor Bassey Otu and his predecessor, Senator Ben Ayade barely a month after the change of baton between the duo.
The glaring frosty relationship is traceable to certain actions undertaken by the new administration and the body language exhibited so far which observers believed are targeted towards maligning the perceived interest of Senator Ayade which Otu was expected to protect from inception irrespective of staggering odds.
But according to a public analyst in the state, Chief Peter Erim,” the excess baggage inherited from Ayade especially the unprecedented looting spree and other dubious activities that trailed the exit of Senator Ben Ayade has busted the deal even from the embryonic stage”
Chief Erim opined that “Otu must have been irked by the over 500 cars carted away by Ayade and cohorts, multiple rush hour withdrawals from state treasury followed by massive looting of government offices, including the official residence of the governor thereby compelling Governor Otu to operate from a makeshift office and private apartment since assuming office”
“Governor Bassey Otu must therefore stamp his authority and address this brazen rascality to nullify preconceived notion that he was installed to cover up the mess perpetuated during his eight disastrous years”
Further findings by Summer Post revealed that the sacking of the State Auditor General Comrade John Odey and that of the Local Government, Mrs. Franka Inok was the first salvo fired by Senator Otu to announce the arrival of the new Sheriff in town who is poised to break away from the stench associated with the inglorious years of his predecessor.
Our source further revealed that the warning shot was followed by a torrent of attacks ranging from the suspension of the last-minute recruitment exercise into the state civil service, and review of recent promotions to the appointment of over 100 Permanent Secretaries by Ayade in the twilight of his administration.
Commenting on the development, a retired director from the federal service, Mr. Gabriel Etim queried the decision to embark on massive  recruitment and multiple appointments of Permanent Secretaries in less than a year thereby inflating an already enormous wage bill compounded by nonpayment of gratuities since April 2014 despite receiving multiple tranches of bailout funds, loans and refunds from Federal Governments over repairs of Trunk “A” roads undertaken by Donald Duke”
“Even though they said Ayade ensure the emergence of the new government headed by Senator Otu, the former governor has no good intentions for his successor judging from available indications. Apart from the fact that due process and civil service procedures were negated in the lopsided appointment of Permanent Secretaries, it will shock you to discover that their humongous wage bill has been bequeathed to the new Governor because as we speak, they are still collecting their former salary scale before their controversial elevations”
Secretary to the State Governor and renowned academician, Prof. Anthony Owan Enoh recently stirred the hornet’s net when he disclosed that”People might collapse if they are exposed to the systematic rot inherited from Senator Ben Ayade,
from what we have seen so far, there was system collapse in our state. Governance and due diligence took a flight”
Further investigations unveiled that apart from the move to recover the over 500 cars which have been carted away as “takeaways”  and cancellation of all concession agreements for running of Cally Air and other industries yet to become, operational despite phantom commissioning galore, the sucker punch seemingly escalating the tension is the avowed intention of Otu led administration to reclaim government property mostly land and buildings annexed by Ayade and his cohorts.
Speaking after an inspection of government buildings still under occupation by officials of the last administration and the vast expanse of land commandeered and allocated by Senator Ayade to his cronies, Chief of Staff to Governor Bassey Otu, M.r Emmanuel Ironbar assured Cross Riverians that the ” administration will stop at nothing to reclaim state government property illegally acquired no matter who is involved”
The tough posture of the government as expressed by the Chief of Staff on the confiscation of government land, especially within the premises of the state moribund Water Board is a tacit endorsement of the submission of the Environment Cluster of Transition Review Committee saddled with the task of verifying government landed property within and outside the state. wrongfully acquired by officials of the last government.
According to the Committee headed by Odey Oyama,” Field investigations revealed that massive private development of permanent structure on the Water Board Land contrary to law. The Water Board land was acquired for overriding public purposes and Gazetted”
“However, the Cluster further observed that there is no evidence of any copy of the Gazette publishing any reassignment of any portion of the land to any person whatsoever. It is therefore the strong view of the Cluster that the property standing on the land belongs to the state government”
In the view of Augustine Adie,” If Otu blinks and succumbs to the cheap blackmail they are peddling merely to intimidate and compel him to retract, his government stands the risks of losing credibility and sympathy of the masses This impunity can not be tolerated”
Apart from Water Board, other landed property allegedly grabbed by Ayade includes St Margaret Hospital(now UCTH) land on Moore Road, Calabar, Cross River State Property Development Limited, CROSPIL, land, State Housing Estate, Cross River House in Abuja, Hope Waddle Training Institute land as well as SSG Lodge, opposite Governor’s Office in Calabar as well as other government buildings located in Obudu