By Akpan David, Calabar
The Bekwara community elders and youths have strongly cautioned a one-time gubernatorial and now senatorial aspirant for the upcoming Cross River northern senatorial by-election, Joe Agi who is a Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN).
The community is displeased over remarks the lawyer who is of the All Progressives Congress (APC) reportedly made few days ago when he embarked on consultative meeting with stakeholders in the senatorial district.
It is alleged that Agi in a video which has since gone viral provocatively recalled the unfortunate communal incident of 25 years ago between Ugboro- Ishiborri communities, which took place in 1995. The statement described it as a very bloody inter communal dispute where many lives and properties were lost, so that hundreds of families are still disenchanted today.
In a statement signed by Chief Agaji Adie Ntamu for Young Bekwarra leaders forum, it said: “The attention of Bekwarra people have been drawn to a provocative video making rounds on social media by one Joe Agi (SAN), said to be vying for the Cross River North Senatorial seat. In the video, Agi on his consultation visit to a few members of APC at Ishiborri community in Ogoja resorted to making provocative statements on one of the unfortunate Bekwarra-Ishiborri communal crisis.
“The pains, the agony of this dreaded communal mishap is still very fresh. The unfortold economic hardship is still felt by both affected communities. The decision of Joe Agi to anchor his political point on such ugly incident with the intent to malign the integrity of the good people of Bekwarra is very embarrassing, and we caution him to respect our feelings.”
They advised him, as a son of the neighbouring Yala LGA not to dwell on issues that will ignite another conflagration between his people and Bekwara but issues that should unite and promote the people, so that he could earn their votes.
The statement said the Bekwarra Nation deserves to be respected and treated with decorum due to the integrity of an average Bekwarra person wh has enjoyed lots of goodwill from neighbouring communities, adding that there has been entrenched peaceful relationship between Yala and Bekwarra for centuries.
The people accused him of trying to incite another genocide so that he can rush to court and exploit the people of their hard earnings at the expense of lives.
Reacting, Agi said he did not make the remarks in the video in bad faith but to draw a reference against such in future.
He said he has high regards for the people, asking what will he stand to gain if he works against or speak to divide of ignite a face-off amongst the people.
