Gov. Otu Stops Clan, Village Creation Exercise

CALABAR – Cross River State Governor, Senator Bassey Otu, has ordered the immediate halt of the ongoing Clan and Village Creation exercise in the state, declaring that the process was neither authorised nor approved by his administration.

The directive, conveyed by the Attorney-General and Commissioner for Justice, Ededem Ani, stated that the Governor’s attention had been drawn to the exercise being undertaken by the Office of the Special Adviser to the Governor on Chieftaincy Affairs.

According to the directive, the exercise “was neither authorised nor approved by his office” and therefore “does not carry the imprimatur of the State Government.”

The Attorney-General said the exercise could not be allowed to continue or be given further effect, particularly in view of a pending legal action before the High Court of Cross River State, Calabar.

“In view of the foregoing, His Excellency has directed that all activities connected with the ongoing Clan and Village Creation exercise, including the processing, verification or publication of any Clan or Village Creation List, be terminated forthwith,” Ani stated.

He further directed that no officer under the supervision of the Special Adviser on Chieftaincy Affairs should take further steps towards the creation, recognition or conferment of Clan or Village status on any community pending further directive from the state government.

The directive also reiterated that prior approval from the Governor remained a mandatory requirement for any clan or village creation exercise in Cross River State.

“No Clan or Village Creation exercise may be embarked upon by your office, or any officer under its supervision, without the prior approval of His Excellency the Governor,” the Attorney-General stated.

The development places the administration’s approval process at the centre of the controversy, with the Governor disowning an exercise that was reportedly already undergoing processing and verification.

The Attorney-General consequently directed the Special Adviser on Chieftaincy Affairs to treat the Governor’s instruction “with the seriousness it deserves” and ensure “strict and immediate compliance.”

The government’s directive means that further processing, verification and publication of clan or village creation lists must stop pending further instruction from Governor Otu’s administration.