THE WORSENING RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN LIYEL IMOKE AND DONALD DUKE

What could make two bosom friends go their separate ways after being together for so long? Politics, of course, and perhaps clash of ego and interest. It is a sad story of the chummy relationship between the Governor of Cross River State, Senator Liyel Imoke and his predecessor, Donald Duke, that has waxed cold in recent years.

Although there have been attempts to paper over the cracks that have resulted from their differences, matters were made worse by Imoke’s bid to the April 2012 governorship election under the platform of the People’s Democratic Party, PDP. This did not go down well with Duke who wanted his protégé from northern Cross River, Sunny Abang, to succeed Imoke, so that he can call the shots from behind the scene, something he has been unable to do, with Imoke in the saddle.

Watchers of the unfolding events in Cross River State are amazed that these two political gladiators could nurse any form of animosity against each other, even though Imoke has said at several fora that he bears no grudge against Duke, adding that the perceived rancour between him and Duke was a media creation. Imoke reportedly, underscored that point by saying that Duke became the governor of Cross River State in 1999, he was part of the team that drew up the blue print for the administration of the state by Duke, some of which he is still implementing after succeeding Duke in 2007.

The ELITES gathered that Imoke has been finding it difficult to grapple with the huge debt burden of about N40 billion brought on the state by Duke administration through the Tinapa Resort project, especially now that he is battling to save Tinapa from becoming a white elephant project. The governor is doing so by susidising the rent paid by owners of shops at the Tinapa Shopping Mall for them to remain in business. Imoke is also trying to attract traffic to Tinapa by constructing an International Convention Centre there.

Though Imoke and Duke are seen together once in a while, at important events when it is inevitable that they must attend, Duke has not been able to mask his erstwhile best friend, as he accused him of his reluctance to sustain his (Duke’s) programmes.