Let me start with full disclosure. I am Joseph Iyaji. I am from Yala Local Government Area. I am not a journalist who simply travelled to Yala for a story and left. I am a son of the soil. I know every dusty road. I know every stream. I know the names of our villages – Okpoma, Itega Ekpudu, Utukpo, Ujama, and all the rest. I have family buried here. I have family still farming here. I have family struggling here.

So when I write about Yala’s lack of representation in Calabar, I am not writing as an outsider looking in. I am writing with pain. Deep, personal pain. The kind of pain you feel when your own people are overlooked, appointment after appointment, year after year, government after government.

Yes, I will be honest. A few Yala sons and daughters have been given some positions here and there. A special adviser perhaps. A board member maybe. A supervisor in a local government. I do not deny that. Some of our people have eaten. But let us ask the hard question: Is that all Yala deserves?

Rhetorical question: When you look at the size of Yala, when you look at our population, when you look at how we turn out to vote during elections – does a few board appointments here and there reflect our worth?

Absolutely not. And that is the pain I carry as a journalist and as a son of Yala. We are not a small local government that can be silenced with crumbs. We are big. We are one of the largest local governments in Cross River State. We have the voting capacity to help any governor win an election. And we are tired of being taken for granted.

As a senior journalist and proud Yala son writing for Akahi News, I am no longer willing to watch my people suffer in silence. This article is not a complaint. It is a strategy guide for every Yala son, daughter, mother, father, youth, and elder. We must rise. We must demand what is ours. And we must get more – much more – from Calabar.

Rhetorical question: If smaller local governments can produce commissioners, secretaries to the state government, and even deputy governors, why cannot Yala?

There is no good answer except that we have not played our political cards well. But that ends now.

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Who We Are – Yala in Numbers

Let me put some respect on our name. Yala is not a minor local government. We are among the largest local government areas in Cross River State. Our landmass is substantial. Our population is among the highest in the northern senatorial district. Our people are spread across numerous wards, each with thousands of registered voters.

When election season comes, Yala delivers. Our people come out. Our people vote. Our people have consistently voted for the ruling party – whether PDP or APC – because we believe in supporting government. We do not form opposition for opposition’s sake. We are loyal. We are dependable. We are the kind of local government any governor would pray to have in their corner.

Rhetorical question: With this kind of voting capacity, with this kind of loyalty, with this kind of size, is it fair that we receive only crumbs from Calabar?

No. It is not fair. It is not just. And it is not sustainable. Yala is waking up.

I have said it before and I will say it again. I am Joseph Iyaji, a true son of Yala. I am deeply pained that my local government has not received the appointments and development it deserves. I am pained that when commissioners are named, Yala is often missing. When special advisers are appointed, Yala is overlooked. When board chairmen are selected, Yala is forgotten.

Yes, some few of our people have been given something. I will not lie and say nobody from Yala has ever been appointed. But what is that compared to what we deserve? A drop in the ocean. A crumb from a loaf. We are big enough to get more. Much more. And the time has come to demand it.

Akahi News will no longer watch silently. As a platform owned and run by a son of Yala, we will use our voice to fight for our people. Call 08038644328 or WhatsApp wa.me/2348038644328.

Understanding Why Yala Is Underrepresented Despite Our Size

Before we solve a problem, we must diagnose it correctly. Many Yala people believe that governors simply hate Yala or that there is a conspiracy against our local government. I do not believe that. I believe the problem is strategic, not personal.

Reason One: Yala Votes Are Taken for Granted

Here is the painful truth. We are too reliable. Yala has historically voted for the ruling party in Cross River State without demanding anything in return. Politicians know this. They know that whether they give Yala a commissioner or not, Yala will still vote for them. So why waste a slot on Yala when that slot can be used to woo a swing local government?

Rhetorical question: If you already own a house, do you keep paying rent to the landlord? No. You move on to secure other properties.

That is exactly what governors do. Yala is already “owned” politically. So they focus on local governments where votes are uncertain. This is not hatred. This is cold political calculation. And until we change the calculation, we will keep losing.

Reason Two: Yala Lacks a Unified Political Voice

Another major problem is disunity among our leaders. Yala has many political figures, but they rarely speak with one voice. When a governor is forming his cabinet, he receives requests from every local government. Those with a single, strong, respected leader who can speak for the entire local government get appointments. Those with multiple quarrelling factions get nothing because the governor does not know who to listen to.

Ask yourself honestly: Who speaks for Yala? Is there one person that Governor Otu or any governor can call to say “bring the list of qualified Yala indigenes for appointment”? When that call comes, does Yala produce a unified list or multiple competing lists that cancel each other out?

Until Yala has a unified political leadership structure, our representation will remain a fraction of what we deserve.

Reason Three: Yala Does Not Produce Enough Visible Political Strategists

Here is another hard truth. Appointments are not given to the most qualified academically. They are given to those who helped the governor get elected. Yala produces many professors, doctors, and lawyers. But how many Yala indigenes served as campaign coordinators, fundraisers, or mobilisers for the winning candidate?

Political representation is a reward for political work. If Yala is not visible during campaigns – providing logistics, funding, and grassroots mobilisation – why would any governor remember Yala when sharing appointments?

Rhetorical question: Have you ever seen a Yala person as the campaign director for a governorship candidate? Have you seen Yala as the chairman of a major political committee during elections?

If the answer is no, then our lack of representation, though painful, makes strategic sense. We must change that.

Reason Four: Yala Has Not Built Strong Political Alliances

No local government can win alone. Politics is about alliances. Yala has not invested enough in building strategic alliances with other local governments – Ogoja, Bekwarra, Obudu, and others. When appointments are being shared, blocks of local governments that act together get more slots than isolated ones.

If Yala always stands alone, it will always eat alone – and sometimes, as we have seen, it will not eat at all.

Reason Five: Yala’s Youth and Women Are Not Organised

Governors pay attention to groups that can influence elections. Organised youth groups and women’s associations from a local government can demand representation. Yala has talented youth and hardworking women. But are they organised? Do they have a structure that a governor can recognise and negotiate with?

Without organisation, there is no bargaining power. And without bargaining power, we will keep receiving crumbs while others feast.

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What We Want – Not Crumbs, But Our Fair Share

Let me be clear. I am not saying Yala should receive everything. I am not saying other local governments do not matter. But we are one of the biggest local governments in Cross River State. Our voting capacity is enormous. We have helped governors win elections time and time again. We deserve our fair share of appointments and development.

What is our fair share?

• At least one commissioner slot in every administration – not a “special adviser” title that carries less weight, but a full commissioner with a substantive portfolio.
• At least two or three special adviser positions – because our population and voting capacity justify it.
• Board and agency chairmanship slots – for our experienced professionals and loyal party members.
• Management positions in government agencies and parastatals – for our qualified sons and daughters.
• Development projects – roads, electricity, water, healthcare, and schools – that match our contribution to the state’s electoral success.

Rhetorical question: Is this too much to ask from a local government that delivers thousands of votes election after election?

It is not too much. It is the bare minimum. And we will no longer accept less.

I am deeply pained that we have been overlooked for so long. I am pained that when I look at the list of commissioners in Calabar, I see names from other local governments – some smaller than Yala, some with less voting capacity – while Yala is missing. I am pained that our roads are still in disrepair. I am pained that our students study without electricity. I am pained that our farmers cannot access markets because feeder roads are abandoned.

But pain without action is useless. So let me give us the strategies we need to finally get our fair share.

Akahi News is committed to this struggle. As a son of Yala, I will use my platform to fight until my people get what they deserve. Call 08038644328 or WhatsApp wa.me/2348038644328.

Strategy One: Stop Voting Without Conditions

This is the most important strategy. Yala must stop giving its votes freely. Our votes are valuable. They can determine who wins an election. And we must treat them as the precious commodity they are.

How to implement this:

• Before any election, community leaders in Yala must come together and draft a memorandum of understanding with candidates. The MOU should state clearly: “You will receive Yala votes if you commit to appointing at least one commissioner from Yala, at least two special advisers from Yala, and at least three board chairmen from Yala. You will also commit to completing the Mfom-Obudu road, electrifying our remaining communities, and providing water to our villages.”
• This MOU should be signed publicly, witnessed by traditional rulers, media, and community representatives.
• If the candidate wins and fails to deliver, Yala should publicly call them out and remember during the next election. We should support their opponent.

Rhetorical question: Why would a governor give Yala anything when Yala votes are already guaranteed for free?

Stop voting for free. Your vote is your power. Use it.

I have said it before and I will say it again. I am Joseph Iyaji, a son of Yala. I am tired of seeing my people used and dumped after elections. No more.

Strategy Two: Build a Unified Yala Political Leadership Forum

Yala needs a single, recognised political body that speaks for the entire local government. This body should include:

• Elders and traditional rulers from all wards
• Youth leaders from all wards
• Women leaders from all wards
• Political appointees from previous administrations (even if few, they have experience)
• Business and professional leaders from Yala – lawyers, doctors, engineers, academics
• Diaspora Yala leaders based in Lagos, Abuja, and abroad

This forum should meet regularly, not just during elections. Its job is to:

• Identify qualified Yala indigenes for various positions
• Build consensus on political direction – no more quarrelling factions
• Negotiate with governors and political parties on behalf of Yala
• Endorse candidates who commit to Yala’s interests and reject those who do not

Rhetorical question: Can you imagine the political power of a Yala forum that speaks with one voice and can deliver or withhold thousands of votes?

That forum would be invited to every political meeting in Calabar. That forum would receive appointments because governors would fear its power. That forum would finally give Yala the respect we deserve.

But until we build that forum, no governor will fear Yala’s political impact.

Strategy Three: Produce Visible Political Strategists and Financiers

Yala has many successful people. We have business owners in Lagos. We have professionals in Abuja. We have academics in universities across Nigeria. But these successful Yala people have not translated their success into political capital for our local government.

Action steps:

• Yala’s wealthy indigenes should publicly support and fund political candidates – not secretly, but openly, so their contribution is recognised and can be leveraged for appointments.
• Yala’s legal and academic minds should volunteer as campaign strategists, speechwriters, and policy advisors to gubernatorial candidates. Let them see Yala faces in every strategic meeting.
• Yala’s youth should serve as grassroots mobilisers, ward coordinators, and polling unit agents during elections. Let them be the foot soldiers that no campaign can do without.

When the election is won, the governor will remember those who helped him win. If Yala people were not visible in his campaign, his memory will not find Yala when appointments are being shared. But if Yala is everywhere – in the funding, in the strategy, in the grassroots – no governor can forget us.

Rhetorical question: Have you ever seen a political appointment given to someone who stayed at home during the election campaign?

Never. Appointments go to campaigners. Yala must become a campaign factory.

I am pained that we have been spectators for too long. It is time for Yala to get into the arena.

Strategy Four: Build Strategic Alliances with Other Local Governments

Yala cannot win alone. Even with our size and voting capacity, we need allies. The northern senatorial district of Cross River State includes Yala, Ogoja, Bekwarra, Obudu, Obanliku, and others. If all these local governments demand representation together, their voice is louder than if each stands alone.

Action steps:

• Yala leaders should initiate regular meetings with leaders from Ogoja, Bekwarra, and Obudu.
• Together, they should agree on a formula for sharing appointments from the northern district. Yala, given our size and voting capacity, should have the largest share.
• They should present a united front to governors: “We speak for the northern senatorial district. These are our collective demands. If you meet them, we deliver the entire north for you. If you do not, we remember at the polls.”

Rhetorical question: Which governor can ignore a demand backed by five local governments speaking as one, especially when those local governments control thousands of votes?

No governor. That is the power of alliance.

Strategy Five: Organise Yala Youth and Women for Political Bargaining

Governors pay attention to organised groups. If Yala youth are organised under a recognised association with executive officers, membership lists, and regular meetings, that association can demand representation.

Similarly, Yala women leaders should form a strong association that can articulate demands.

What to demand:

• A youth representative in the governor’s cabinet – Special Assistant on Youth Affairs from Yala
• A women representative in the governor’s cabinet – Special Assistant on Women Affairs from Yala
• Board appointments for Yala youth and women
• Agency heads from Yala

Rhetorical question: Have you seen the organised youth groups from other local governments visiting Calabar to demand appointments? Why is Yala not doing the same?

Visibility matters. If you are not seen, you are not remembered. If you are not organised, you are not feared. If you are not feared, you are not given anything.

Let me say this clearly as a son of Yala: I am tired of seeing our youth unemployed while youth from other local governments are appointed to boards and agencies. I am tired of seeing our women overlooked while women from smaller local governments get special adviser slots. This must change.

Strategy Six: Invest in Political Education for Yala Communities

Many Yala people do not understand how political appointments work. They assume that governors will simply “remember” Yala out of kindness. That is naive. Political appointments are negotiated, not gifted. They are fought for, not waited for.

Action steps:

• Community leaders should educate their people on the importance of political participation and strategic voting.
• Schools in Yala should invite political leaders to speak to students about governance and representation. The next generation must know what we are fighting for.
• Local media – including Akahi News – will continue publishing analysis on what Yala needs and how to achieve it. We will not relent.

An educated electorate is an empowered electorate. An empowered electorate gets appointments.

At Akahi Tutors, Ile-Ife, we believe that education extends beyond textbooks. The students we prepare for WAEC and JAMB will one day become the political leaders of Yala. They will not beg for crumbs. They will demand and receive their fair share. Call 08038644328 or WhatsApp wa.me/2348038644328.

Strategy Seven: Leverage the Diaspora – Yala People in Lagos, Abuja, and Abroad

Yala has many successful indigenes living outside Cross River State. These diaspora Yala people have resources, connections, and influence. They must be organised into a Yala Diaspora Political Network.

What this network can do:

• Raise campaign funds for candidates who support Yala representation – enough funds to make a difference in election outcomes
• Use their connections in Abuja to advocate for federal appointments for Yala indigenes – not just state appointments
• Lobby political parties to field Yala candidates for key positions – including chairmanship of the local government and beyond
• Return home during elections to mobilise and vote – showing that Yala sons and daughters anywhere are politically active

Rhetorical question: Have you noticed how other ethnic groups and local governments use their diaspora networks to influence politics? Why is Yala not doing the same?

The technology exists. WhatsApp, Zoom, and phone calls can connect Yala people worldwide. Use them. Organise. Demand.

I speak to Yala people in Lagos, Abuja, Port Harcourt, and overseas. You have succeeded in your careers. Now use your success to help your homeland. We need your voice. We need your resources. We need your connections. Come home – not just for Christmas, but for our political struggle.

Strategy Eight: Prepare Qualified Yala Indigenes for Appointments

This sounds simple, but it is often overlooked. When a governor asks “who from Yala can serve as commissioner of health?”, does Yala have a prepared list of qualified medical doctors? When the position of attorney general is available, does Yala have a list of qualified lawyers? When the governor needs a chief of staff, does Yala have a list of experienced administrators?

Action steps:

• Yala should maintain a database of qualified indigenes – their education, experience, professional certifications, and which positions they can fill competently.
• This database should be updated regularly and shared with governors, political parties, and appointment committees.
• Young Yala professionals should be encouraged to gain experience in less competitive positions (boards, agencies) before demanding cabinet slots. We must build a pipeline of qualified candidates.

Rhetorical question: How can a governor appoint a Yala person if Yala cannot produce a single person who meets the requirements for a particular position?

Yala has qualified people. I know them. I have interviewed them. They are doctors, lawyers, engineers, accountants, and administrators. But are they known? Are their CVs in the right hands? Are they actively seeking these positions?

We must change that. Qualified Yala people must make themselves available and visible.

Strategy Nine: Build a Yala Political Endorsement Fund

Money talks in Nigerian politics. This is not a secret. Yala should pool resources from successful indigenes – business owners, professionals, and well-wishers – into a Yala Political Endorsement Fund.

What the fund can do:

• Finance the campaigns of candidates who sign the Yala MOU – making us indispensable to their electoral success
• Provide logistics for Yala voters during elections – transportation, food, and security to ensure maximum turnout
• Support legal challenges when Yala’s political rights are violated or when our MOUs are breached
• Fund political education and advocacy programmes across all wards of Yala

When a governor knows that Yala has a war chest that can influence elections and even fund legal battles, that governor will take Yala seriously. Not out of love. Out of political necessity. And that is fine. We will take respect in any form it comes.

Strategy Ten: Use Media and Advocacy to Hold Leaders Accountable

This is where Akahi News comes in. As a platform run by a son of Yala, we will use our media reach to:

• Publish the names of Yala indigenes who have been appointed and those who have not
• Call out governors and political parties that neglect Yala despite our voting capacity
• Celebrate and publicise qualified Yala indigenes who are ready to serve
• Document broken promises and MOUs so that voters remember during elections

Rhetorical question: How can a governor ignore Yala when every broken promise is published on a platform that thousands of Yala people read daily?

They cannot. Not if we are consistent. Not if we are relentless. Not if we refuse to be silenced.

I am Joseph Iyaji. I am from Yala. And I am deeply pained. But I am also determined. I will use my pen and my platform to fight for my people until we get what we deserve.

What the Next Political Dispensation Means for Yala

The next political dispensation – whether the 2027 gubernatorial election or beyond – is a window of opportunity. New alliances will form. New governors may emerge. New commissioners will be appointed. New boards will be constituted.

Yala must not be caught sleeping. The strategies outlined above must be implemented before the next dispensation begins, not after.

Key deadlines for Yala:

• Six months before any governorship election: Unify the Yala Political Leadership Forum
• Three months before elections: Draft and sign MOUs with candidates
• During campaigns: Mobilise visibly, fund strategically, and document our contributions
• After elections: Immediately demand fulfilment of MOUs. Do not wait. Do not be shy. Do not be silenced.

Rhetorical question: Will Yala be ready when the next governor begins forming his cabinet, or will Yala watch from home again while smaller local governments feast?

The choice is ours. The time to act is now – not tomorrow, not next year, not when the election is announced. Now.

Frequently Asked Questions from Yala People

Q: Is it possible for Yala to produce a deputy governor in Cross River State? A: Yes. Absolutely. It requires strategic alliance with a gubernatorial candidate from another senatorial district. If Yala can deliver our voting bloc and also contribute campaign funding, a deputy governorship slot is not just possible – it is achievable.

Q: Why has Yala received only few appointments under the current administration? A: There are many reasons – lack of unified demand, lack of visible campaign contribution during the last election, and the simple fact that our votes were taken for granted. But the solution is not to complain. The solution is to implement the strategies in this article and ensure we are not overlooked in the next dispensation.

Q: Can Yala women get special representation? A: Absolutely. Women from other local governments have secured special adviser slots. Yala women need to organise and demand the same. Our women are educated, hardworking, and politically aware. They deserve seats at the table.

Q: What is the role of traditional rulers in political representation? A: Traditional rulers have moral authority. When they speak, politicians listen. Yala’s traditional rulers should not be neutral during elections. They should advocate openly for Yala’s collective interests. They should publicly endorse candidates who sign our MOU and publicly reject those who do not.

Q: How can an ordinary Yala person contribute to this struggle? A: Register to vote. Vote consistently. Do not sell your vote cheaply. Join community discussions. Support Yala political organisations with your time and small donations. Spread the message in your ward. Every vote and every voice matters. And when our leaders call for unity, answer the call.

Q: Are you not afraid that this article will anger politicians in Calabar? A: I am Joseph Iyaji, a son of Yala. I am deeply pained by our underrepresentation. Fear will not stop me from speaking the truth. Let them be angry. The truth is the truth. Yala is big enough to get more. Yala has the voting capacity to get more. And we will not stop demanding until we get our fair share.

Final Words from Joseph Iyaji, Son of Yala and Journalist at Akahi News

Dear people of Yala LGA, I have walked your roads since I was a child. I have drunk from your streams. I have eaten from your farms. I have buried loved ones in your soil. I am not a stranger writing from a comfortable office in Lagos or Abuja. I am one of you. And I am deeply, deeply pained.

I am pained that when I look at the government houses in Calabar, I see commissioners from local governments that are smaller than Yala, that have fewer voters than Yala, that deliver fewer votes than Yala – yet Yala is missing.

I am pained that our roads are still death traps while other local governments enjoy asphalt.

I am pained that our students study in darkness while other local governments have streetlights and electricity.

I am pained that our youth are unemployed while youth from other local governments sit in boards and agencies.

Yes, I acknowledge that a few of our people have been given some positions here and there. I do not deny that. But let us be honest with ourselves. What is a few board appointments compared to what we deserve? What is a special adviser here and there compared to the voting capacity we bring to every election?

We are Yala. We are big. We are one of the largest local governments in Cross River State. We have the voting capacity to help any governor win an election. And we deserve more. Much more.

Rhetorical question: How long will we continue to accept crumbs when we deserve a feast?

The answer is: no longer. From today, from this article, we change our approach. We stop voting for free. We unify our political voice. We organise our youth and women. We leverage our diaspora. We build alliances. We prepare our qualified sons and daughters. We build a political fund. And we use media to hold leaders accountable.

I have given you ten strategies. They are not theories. They are actionable steps. Discuss them in your wards. Implement them in your communities. Share them with your leaders.

And while we fight for political representation, let us not forget the power of education. The same Yala children who are now in secondary school will be the commissioners, special advisers, board chairmen, and perhaps even governor of tomorrow. Prepare them today.

Akahi Tutors, Ile-Ife, is ready to help Yala students pass WAEC, NECO, JAMB, and post-UTME to gain admission into OAU, UNN, UNILAG, UNICAL, UI, and UNILORIN. Call 08038644328 or WhatsApp wa.me/2348038644328.

If this article opened your eyes, if it stirred your spirit, if it gave you hope – do not keep it to yourself. Share it with every Yala person you know. Share it in your family WhatsApp groups. Share it with community leaders, youth groups, women’s associations, and traditional rulers.

Follow Akahi News daily for more political analysis, educational tips, and development stories that matter to you. We are committed to this struggle because we are Yala. And Yala must rise.

The next dispensation is coming. Will Yala be at the table or on the menu? The answer depends on what we do today.

I am Joseph Iyaji. I am from Yala. I am deeply pained. But I am also determined. Join me. Let us fight for our homeland. Let us get what we deserve.

Go and make Yala proud.