Transparency, not selective enforcement, is the Hallmark of good governance.
By Emma Egon
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Published on August 1, 2026
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3 min read
The Cross River State Government, through the Yakurr Local Government Council, publicly declared that the Ernest Kizito Attah Square (Ekori Pavilion) had been closed to the public to facilitate its reconstruction into a modern civic centre. The accompanying notice was explicit: “The public is hereby warned to STAY OFF government facilities.” The reason given was public safety, and the expectation was that every citizen, regardless of status or political affiliation, would comply.
The restriction came shortly after the PDP House of Representatives Candidate for ABI/YAKURR Federal Constituency in person of Rt. Hon. Alex Egbona, used the same venue to receive in large number of defectors from the APC into the PDP just recently. Whether the timing was concidental or not, the sequence of event has fueled widespread public concern, that despite the government’s public warning restricting the use of the venue, the APC House of Representatives Candidate, John Gaul Lebo, and his team, used the same venue for a political consultation, today being the 1st August, 2026, in the company of the Yakurr Local Government Chairman.
The irony is difficult to ignore. The APC government issued the restriction, an APC candidate have disregarded it without consequence. A man aspiring to become a Federal legislator, a lawmaker, should be setting an example of respect for lawful directives, not appearing to benefit from exceptions that ordinary citizens could never enjoy.
If the venue was genuinely closed to the public, who authorized it’s used for a partisan political gathering? If the order was intended to preserve public safety, why did it apparently cease to apply when it involved members of the ruling party? Is the government now inviting anarchy in Cross River State, as political parties are gearing up for campaigns? Is the APC government in Cross River State an oppressive government that intend to crush the opposition? Is this not a signal of what the future will look like?
These are not trivial questions, as they strike at the heart of the rule of law, and the good people of Yakurr and the entire Abi/Yakurr Federal Constituents and by extension Cross Riverians, deserve answers. Democracy cannot survive where laws are enforced selectively. A government that expects obedience from its citizens, must first demonstrate that no one, including its own officials and political allies, is above the law.
This is not simply about the venue at Ekori, it is about fairness and equal justice. No government should create the impression that it’s rules are mandatory for the opposition and optional for it’s own members. Such a perception, if left unaddressed, risks encouraging lawlessness, rather than respect for the rule of law.
The people deserve clarity. The government should explain whether permission was granted for the event, despite the public restriction, and if so, on what basis?
Transparency, not selective enforcement, is the Hallmark of good governance.
#TeamAlex
