Recounting his experience after the election petition tribunal sitting in Calabar declared him duly elected, the Governor of Cross River State Sen Bassey Edet Otu, said that the Cross River State had suffered under the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).
Otu stated this when he was addressing stakeholders at the All Progressives Congress, APC, Stakeholders Meeting held on Thursday, at the Calabar International Convention Centre.
The governor while thanking God for using his predecessor, Sen Ben Ayade, to break the state free from the shackles of the PDP, also noted that God has bestowed upon him the responsibility of taking the state forward.
“Let me also thank Cross Rivererians, especially the APC faithful, for your efforts and support, which saw us trounce every opposition at the last elections,” Otu said. “Today, PDP is history in our state.”
He hinted on setting up caucuses across all LGAs to ensure due consultation and possible resolutions to issues identified.
While making promise to create more room for appointments to avail party stalwarts the opportunity to contribute their quota to the development of the state, he said. Against self-centeredness, “the Cross River Project takes precedence over any individual’s interest.”
“Economic prosperity is imminent and so, we are on course to building a virile economy that would make political appointments unattractive.”
“The quest to regain Bakassi has also begun in earnest. We also want to be compensated in terms of land mass,” he stated.
The governor also disclosed plans to complete the Obudu Cargo Airport before the end of this year, hinted at enlarging the Cally Air fleet, and turning the Bebi Airstrip in Obanliku LGA in the Northern Senatorial District South South Nigeria into an Aviation School.
Truth Live News also learned that Governor Otu went ahead to say that he intends to serve creditably well, so that Cross Rivererians would indeed be glad that they voted him at the end of the day.
Stakeholders in the meeting were the former Deputy Governor, Prof. Ivara Esu, former Senate Leader, Sen. Victor Ndoma-Egba, former secretary to the state government Sr, Ntufam Fidelis Ugbo, former Acting National Chairman of the APC, Ntufam Hilliard Eta, and the Vice Chancellor of the University of Calabar, Prof. Florence Obi, among others.
Highpoint was cutting of victory cake.