The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has condemned Governor Ben Ayade’s decision to continue with the activities lined up for the annual Calabar Carnival after the death of eight persons on Tuesday.
Mr Venatius Ikem, Cross River State Chairman of the party, made the condemnation in a statement made available to newsmen in Calabar on Wednesday.
The eight deaths were recorded when a Camry Car lost control and rammed into a crowd of onlookers on Day Five activity of the carnival.
Apart from the deaths, 29 others sustained various degrees of injuries and were rushed to Naval hospital and the University of Calabar Teaching Hospital for medical attention.
However, the Governor continued with the carnival on Tuesday night when he attended Miss Africa, a Beauty Pageant segment of the carnival.
The PDP chairman described Ayade’s decision as a “singular action tantamount to rubbing salt on injuries.”
He said that the governor’s action showed insensitivity to the mood and plight of the people.
Ikem said, ”Indeed, we have been vindicated in our rating of Ayade’s government as inhuman, uncouth and unperturbed by the sufferings of the masses.
”It is unthinkable that a leader can proceed to a jamboree where he was seen beaming with smiles and cheering Miss Africa Beauty Pageant contestants after the bloody incident which claimed lives just a couple of hours apart”.
Ikem also stated that the disaster could have been avoided if standard best practices were applicable during the event, especially with regard to crowd and vehicular traffic control as well as the physiological state of the participants.
Meanwhile, the PDP governorship candidate, Sen. Sandy Onor, has condoled with the families of those who lost their loved ones in the Calabar Carnival accident.
He prayed for the repose of the souls of the departed and fortitude to bear the irreparable loss.
