THERE is a disagreement by supporters of the Cross River State government and Senator Asuquo Ekpenyong over the cancellation of the yearly masquerade festival known as Nkot Mbok,

The ceremony was scheduled for last Saturday in Calabar, the state capital. But few hours to its kick off, the Security Adviser to the Governor, Maj.-Gen. U.O Obono, (rtd), suspended it, adding that it could lead to insecurity.

Gen. Obono, who declared the festival illegal, accused the organisers of not complying with sections 1, 2, and 3 of the Masquerade (Control) Law of Cross River State and permit from relevant authorities.

“Consequently, the leaders and/organisers are warned to suspend the planned activity forthwith otherwise, they shall be made to face the full wrath of the law.

“Defaulters will be prosecuted,” he warned. However, an official of the State Government, who craved anonymity, dismissed the claim, insisting that the State Government received security reports that suggested that the event was likely to be hijacked by ‘some interested parties’ for other motives.

However, the cancellation did not go down well with Ekpenyong, who is the sponsor and patron of the festival and who had been invited as the event’s guest of honour and decided to stay away.

In a statement, the Senior Legislative Aide (SLA) to the Senator, Ted Inyang, said: “It has come to the notice of Senator Asuquo Ekpenyong the Invited Guest of Honour of 2025 Nkot Mbok event, that the State Security Adviser to the Governor has suspended the Nkot Mbok annual event scheduled for tomorrow, Saturday 25, 2025 as communicated in the letter signed by the SSA today, January 24, 2025.

“Consequently, he has informed the organisers of the Nkot Mbok Event that he will not be participating in the programme and that they should engage with the State Security Adviser to the Governor to clarify and resolve issues raised in the letter from the SSA.

“The general public is invited to please note.”

Despite Obono’s explanation however, motives are being read into the government’s action.Some residents claim that some of its officials are jittery over Ekpeyong’s popularity.

The Senator, who represents Cross River South Senatorial District, is the Chairman, Senate Committee on Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC) and that he has attracted dividends of democracy to his people..

They added that the government should have come out earlier to tell the organisers areas that needed to be covered before the ceremony could be held.

“This festival has been held in the past 19 years, and it has never recorded any hitch. There has never been any violation of any such and this year’s own was not expected to be different. The Senator, as the patron, had made adequate preparations for it. He had committed huge financial resources to it, and had arrived with his friends and colleagues. But, this is where we are now,” the member of the Planning Committee lamented.

Another resident added: “The Senator has used his office as the Chairman of the NDDC to attract a lot of projects to the state and to his zone in particular. Massive road construction is ongoing, and lightening up of streets of very many communities is ongoing. He is sponsoring over 40 students on foreign scholarships. Schools are receiving his attention in terms of infrastructural development.

“Only last Sunday, January 26, he did an empowerment for about 350 women, during which he shared sewing machines and grinders to them, among others. Just a few days back, before women empowerment, it was reported that he gave a hundred thousand Naira to ten thousand students of his Senatorial district, who are in higher institutions.

“So, the state government is not happy with all that he is doing, and they are doing everything possible to pull him down. We are with him, and we are, as youths, happy with him. This festival has been holding in the past 19 years, and we have never had an issue but they believe that this year’s event will add more color to his popularity and they decided to stop it.”

But, the Chief Press Secretary to the Governor, Nsa Gill, debunked the insinuations, saying his boss is committed to the welfare of the people.

In a statement yesterday entitled: “Stop The erroneous narratives, Governor Out Remains Unwavering In His Focus To Develop Cross River”

“One such instance involves the twisted insinuations surrounding a security decision taken regarding a scheduled gathering of cultural affinities in Calabar – Nkot Mbok.The origins of Nkot Mbok dates back to a time prior to Governor Out’s assumption of office in 2023, with no political affiliations attached.

“It is an undisputed fact that a majority of the cultural group’s members and leaders freely cast their votes for the Governor and continue to support him politically. Hence, it is utterly fallacious to insinuate political undertones and endeavour to pit the governor against the senator representing his senatorial district, especially considering the latter’s sponsorship of the group’s annual event this year, as he did the previous year.” (The Nation)