OPINION: Cross River 2023 and Bassey Otu’s guber aspiration

A one-time banker, former student unionist and grassroots mobilizer, Sweet Prince, represented Calabar Municipal/Odukpani Federal Constituency for two terms of eight years between 2003 and 2011, and was in the Senate from 2011 to 2015 as the Senator representing Cross River South Senatorial District.

Believed to have left a positive and indelible mark with the outstanding performance and remarkable achievements he recorded in his 12-year eventful voyage at the National Assembly, Otu’s aspiration to become Cross River governor from May 29, 2023, has gathered great  momentum and gained wide acceptance across the state.

As many factors seem to be working in favour of the ex-parliamentarian, his supporters across party line, are fully convinced and confident that he would coast home to victory in the Cross River guber contest, come March 11, 2023 when the governorship election is scheduled to take place.

The current control of the state by the APC, the power rotation principle that has been maintained since the advent of the present democratic dispensation in 1999 and the general belief that Otu has the antecedents, pedigree, experience and capacity to take the state to the next level, are said to be some of the factors favouring his candidacy.

The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has always won the governorship race in every election year and held sway in the governance of Cross River State since 1999. However, the situation, political watchers and analysts have argued, would be different in the 2023 polls with the incumbent Governor, Ben Ayade, now a member of the APC following his exit from the PDP last year. And the outright disregard by the PDP for the power rotation understanding that has given a sense of belonging to the three senatorial zones and ensured peaceful co-existence among the people of the state.

In an interview, for instance, a highly influential politician and top chieftain of APC from Cross River State, Distinguished Senator Victor Ndoma-Egba, SAN, who represented Cross River Central for 12 years in the Red Chamber, said: “The notion that Cross River State is a PDP State will come under its very first severe test in 2023. From 1999 the government in the state has been PDP. For once it is not, and the PDP in the state is not used to being out of power. It will be a fish out of water.”

Ndoma-Egba, a former Senate Leader and ex-Chairman of Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC), staunchly in support of Otu’s candidature, averred that “He (Sweet Prince) is the best we can put forward now. Our geopolitics is in his favour, he has grassroots appeal and is rooted in the politics of the state. He is knowledgeable especially in economic matters and exposed.”

Notwithstanding that the gubernatorial flag bearer of the PDP, Senator Sandy Onor, hails from Cross River Central Senatorial District, political leaders from the zone, firmly standing behind Otu in his aspiration to govern Cross River, are in total support of power moving to the South in the state come 2023 for the purpose of fairness, equity and justice.

Declaring the position of the leaders during one of Otu’s thank-you visits to express gratitude to stakeholders in the state for their overwhelming support that resulted in his emergence as the APC guber candidate, Ndoma-Egba reminded the people that power rotation has come to stay in Cross River State as a standard practice that must be respected and not allowed to be broken and undermined.

According to the erstwhile Senate Leader, after the governorship seat had moved from Cross River South (Donald Duke, 1999 – 2007), to Cross River Central (Liyel Imoke, 2007 – 2015) and to Cross River North (Ben Ayade, 2015 – 2023), it will be utterly inappropriate, unreasonable and unfair if the guber slot is not allowed to shift to Cross River South.

The Back-to-South Political Movement agitating for power to return to the southern flank of the state equally has the unalloyed support of Cross River traditional leaders.

In his endorsement of Otu’s aspiration, when the APC guber candidate visited him at his palace, the Obong of Calabar and Grand Patriarch of the Efik Kingdom, His Eminence Edidem Ekpo Okon Abasi-Otu V, insisted that “It is the turn of the southern senatorial district to produce the next governor for fairness and equity.

The South had supported other two zones so it is the turn of the South. And I am happy that the right choice was made in the person of Senator Bassey Otu who is my beloved son. Come 2023, it is back to south and I am confident that Sen. Otu will emerge governor.”

The Treaty King applauded Gov. Ayade for not reneging on his promise to hand over power to the South and thanked him for settling for Prince Otu, a son of the domain, believed to have the charisma, competence and all it takes to lead the state effectively and efficiently to bring forth greater development and transformation.

While showering royal blessing on Otu during a visit to his palace, the Ndidem of the Quas and Paramount Ruler of Calabar Municipality, HRM Ndidem Eta Bassey Eteta III, on his part, reportedly vowed to mobilize and rally the people of his territory for the victory of Sweet Prince at the polls. Also, the Paramount Rulers of Obanliku and Obudu communities in the northern senatorial district of the state, HRM Dr Amos Etem and HRM Uti Jeddy Agba, were reported to have said in separate remarks that the track record of the leading guber candidate would speak for him. They noted that his emergence will guarantee the sustenance of the zoning arrangement that has been strictly followed in the spirit of fair play.

Various support groups have come up in the state to work assiduously for the success and actualization of Senator Bassey Otu Governorship Project. One of such groups which draws its membership from all the wards of the 18 Local Government Areas (LGAs) in Cross River is the Fusion 196.

The Director General of the group, Dermort Akpoke was quoted as saying that “This is indeed a moment of sweetness with Sweet Prince, let’s savour it and renew our commitment to Senator Otu’s project, our project, the common man’s project. Let’s keep the spirit high as we leapfrog into the election year, for truly the people will need to speak in one voice as they will demonstrate their love for Prince Otu by voting massively for him.”

Pledging to build on the foundation already laid by Ayade’s administration, Otu who had been adopted as the consensus candidate of APC in a meeting presided over by the governor prior to the primary election that eventually produced him as the governorship flag bearer of the party, said in his statement of declaration: “My conviction to contest for the highest office in the land (Cross River State) is further fuelled and energized by my strong humanitarian disposition and unquestioned patriotic zeal to contribute my quota towards our collective match to economic freedom, social justice and infrastructural development, among others.

I was equally inundated with immense pressure from key stakeholders who are convinced of my capabilities to come out and seek the highest office in the land. They include very notable stakeholders within and outside the state and even internationally that I cannot ignore as they are hugely involved in development initiatives. I made vigorous research and concluded that indeed, we can build the Cross River State of our collective dreams where everyone will live and be happy.

“You will all recall that in my days in the National Assembly either as a Senator or member of the Federal House of Representatives, I played very decisive roles in the enactment of many laws which are today, making operations a lot easier both in the customs and our oil industry, particularly as far as the local content component of the industry is concerned. Other areas where l excelled in the National Assembly include National Population, power generation, Niger Delta, Environment, Water Resources and Defence among many others. I have never deviated from the norms of personal grace and human capacity building and I will not begin to deviate from such norms in a higher office such as the Office of Governor of Cross River State.”

…Michael Jegede, a journalist writes from the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Abuja.