Following the protests that rocked the announcement of a Peoples Democratic Party stalwart as the representative of the state in the NDDC board, Cross River state Governor, Prince Bassey Otu, has expressed confidence that President Bola Tinubu will address the issue in the party’s interest and equity.
Otu gave the assurance while addressing protesters, Thursday, at the Dan Archibong temporary office in Calabar, the Cross River capital.
The protesters had marched to the State House of Assembly complex to address the Speaker, Rt. Hon Elvert Ayambem, on their position before proceeding to express their displeasure on the recent announcement of a PDP stalwart and former Commissioner for Information and Orientation, Mr. Asu Okang, as the representative of the state on the board of the NDDC.
The governor assured the protesters to remain law abiding as he remains confident that the president being an astute politician and accomplished technocrat, will look into correcting the wrong done the APC in Cross River State by the announcement.
“We will not allow anybody to preside or sit on what is our own sovereignty. We will never allow it,” a statement by the Chief Press Secretary to the Governor, Emmanuel Ogbeche, stated.
“We are the only APC state in the South-South and if there is anybody to superintend the list, not just in Cross River State but in the South-South geopolitical zone, I believe that I have the mandate.
“We are not fighting anybody, but we want our right, and I am here to assure you that Mr. President is going to look into the issue.
“We will not break the laws, but we want the right thing to be done. Mr President is an astute politician, accomplished technocrat, he is going to address this matter, he hates injustice, the people that worked and toiled will get their rightful positions and take the position of our rep in the NDDC,” the governor assured.
Earlier, the leader of Concerned Cross River Youths, Barr Ekpenyong Akiba, had appealed to the authorities in the state to urge the president to follow the law and do right by the APC in the state.
“The NDDC Act that provides NDDC Board states clearly that the nominee must come from an oil producing area,” Akiba said.
He stressed that the nominee is not from an oil-producing area, Bakassi, of the state, as well as being an opposition figure that fought against the APC at all levels.
Also, a former Mayor of Calabar Municipality, Dr. Effefiong Nta Eke, noted that having an opposition figure as the state’s NDDC representative does not engender loyalty and hard work and appealed to the president to redress the “grave error.”
“We have come with tears in our eyes that the trajectory that has flared up very recently is not to the betterment of the people of Cross River particularly those that were all out to fight for the APC, the leading party in the state. We are asking for the right thing to be done,” Eke appealed.
For the chairman, APC Amalgamated Support Groups, Dr Edem Ebong, he wondered, “why must you take a strategic nomination that belongs to APC and hand it over to PDP who fought us, let the President review that appointment as we reject it in totality.”
