The leadership of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Cross River State, southern Nigeria has endorsed Senator Bassey Otu as its sole candidate ahead of the 2027 gubernatorial election.
The Cross River State Chairman of the party, Alphonsus Eba made the announcement during a press conference at the APC secretariat in Calabar, the state capital.
Eba, who was in the company of members of the State Working Committee (SWC), said that the APC leadership also approves Dr. Peter Odey as Governor Otu’s deputy.
Describing the governor and his deputy as “the two best pair”, Eba stated that the SWC approved their governance and leadership qualities, which was translating to further growth and developments across the state.
He said, “the saying that one good time deserves another is why we have decided to make it known that from the Peregrino Government House of Cross-River State, the State Working Committee of the Party and the State Executive Committee of the Party met and have resolved that Senator Prince Bassey Edet Otu is our ‘sole’ candidate for the governorship election of 2027.”
According to the party chairman, “the present acting governor, Dr. Peter Odey is a young man whom we have found so much loyalty, intellect and we have seen so much support base to the governor. Nobody changes a winning team. It is, therefore, the decision of this party that these two ‘best pair’ will fly the flag of our party in 2027.”
Giving further reasons for the endorsement of Otu and Odey, the APC chairman said, “Cross River State policies have been run on a trajectory of peace, love, unity, growth and perfect understanding of movement from the south that went to the central and went to the north and was now back in the south.
“Again, the constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria guarantees the right to seek a second term; and because this party is in full support for the governor and his deputy. Even if he is unwilling to run, we are saying that we will procure only one ticket and have his name on it just like we did in 2023.
“We are appealing to him to hack into the heartbeat of members of our party that want him to continue the good works because Cross River State people have seen where he is going to and are not shocked that he would take and land us safely in the pot of splendor,” he stressed.
Canvassing Support
He urged party faithful to commence the ‘evangelical mission’ as part of measures to galvanize state-wide support for the candidacy of Otu and Odey.
On other elective seats, Eba explained that although the party was not preventing interested persons for vying for other elective positions, the decision by the SWC was unanimous for the gubernatorial seat to be occupied by the Otu-Odey winning team.
He urged serving elected political officers, “everybody is, therefore, enjoined to please return to their constituents and work with them to make sure they get the support of their people. A lot of persons, who have not properly engage should know that there is still time for engagement because primaries will be next year.”
The APC chairman used the opportunity to commend the Nigerian President, Bola Tinubu for the restoration of peace in Rivers State, southern Nigeria with the appointment of a sole administrator as well as appreciating Governor Otu and his deputy for aligning with President Tinubu.
Confidence Okwuchi
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