By Kelvin Obambon
In a strategic move to solidify the grassroots presence of the President Bola Ahmed Tinubu administration, the Cross River State chapter of the Renewed Hope Ambassadors has formally charged its newly appointed Local Government Coordinators to act as the primary engines for leadership capacity building and political mobilization ahead of the 2027 general elections.
Speaking during a high-profile meeting in Calabar on Wednesday, the State Coordinator of Renewed Hope Ambassadors, Amb. Soni Abang, described the appointees as the “first class” of a revolutionary movement aimed at laying the foundation for the future of the state’s politics.
Amb. Abang emphasized that the appointments were personally endorsed by Governor Bassey Edet Otu, reflecting a deliberate strategy to build leadership capacity beyond mere political patronage.
READ ALSO: Renewed Hope Ambassadors to Meet with State Coordinator in Calabar Wednesday
“The Governor wants to be very deliberate in building capacity – not just political capacity, but leadership capacity,” Abang stated. “You are the first to be recruited into this class that will be prepared to build the future of Cross River State. Your choice is because each and every one of you has proven yourselves over and over in all walks of life.”
Clarifying the origins of the movement, the State Coordinator noted that the Renewed Hope Movement is a singular initiative of President Tinubu designed to bypass traditional media hurdles and speak directly to Nigerians.
“The President believes that the media alone cannot do it. He is going beyond the Nigerian media to reach out to every Nigerian to say, ‘I mean well, this is what I am doing, and this is what I want to do.’ It is not just about 2027, but eventually, it will be about 2027 because that is where we are going to conclude our assignment,” he added.
Addressing the coordinators on their core mandate, Amb. Abang urged them to educate the populace on the President’s economic policies, particularly regarding food security. He accused the opposition of “weaponizing” inflation to create dissatisfaction.
“When the President took over, the opposition decided to weaponize the price of basic food items. That was economic warfare,” he claimed. “Our job is to make our people understand that we need to support the administration of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu to succeed. We must take very difficult decisions to have very good outcomes.”
He further noted that the administration’s policies are beginning to yield results, citing World Bank reports on GDP growth and the rise of foreign reserves toward the $50 billion mark.
Pledging to serve as a bridge between federal initiatives and Governor Otu’s “People’s First” agenda, Amb. Abang highlighted the Governor’s success in reducing the state’s debt profile by over 50% and recovering assets like Tinapa without making noise about these laudable achievements.
He declared that the local government coordinators have the mandate to inspect federal and state projects in their respective domains. “This mandate gives you the authority to visit all government projects and report back to us what you see. By the time we begin talking about elections, we won’t even need to campaign; we will show what we have done,” the State Coordinator asserted.
Speaking to concerns regarding gender balance in the initial list of coordinators, Amb. Abang assured that a specific organ for women would be established.
“We are setting up an appropriate organ for the women. No man will be nominated to join their side. We will also do everything to accommodate the youth; carry them along now so the leadership training starts today,” he concluded.
In his remarks, the Chief of Staff to the Governor and Alternate State Ambassador, Hon. Emmanuel Ironbar, cautioned the coordinators against complacency, noting that many others were “itching” for the positions.
“Ambassador Soni Abang does not listen to excuses; he wants the job done. Just finish it,” Ironbar said, while harping on the culture of “finished work” over rhetoric.
He charged the coordinators to work closely with their respective local government chairmen in order to successfully deliver on their mandate.
Similarly, Dr Peter Ojie, Head of the Renewed Hope Secretariat in Cross River State, appealed to the local government coordinators to commit themselves wholeheartedly to the actualization of the group’s objectives.
In their separate responses, coordinators in each of the three senatorial districts of the state, while acknowledging the enormity of the tasks ahead, however pledged to deliver on the mandate bestowed upon them by the group.
Also in attendance were the Commissioner for Health, Dr Henry Egbe Ayuk; Commissioner for Special Duties and Intergovernmental Affairs, Hon. Oden Ewa; Chief of Protocol to the Governor, Sylvester Abang; Special Adviser to the Governor on General Duties, Barr. Ekpenyong Akiba, among others.
Below is the list of local government coordinators that attended the meeting:
1. Pastor Daniel Isang – Abi
2. Hon. Charles Ikpeme – Akamkpa
3. Hon. Etim Bassey Effiong – Akpabuyo
4. Hon. Chief Barr. Ene Cobham – Bakassi
5. Hon. Agabi Ignatius Adida – Bekwarra
6. Mr. Asuquo Ekpenyong – Calabar Municipality
7. Elder Archibong Ironbar – Calabar South
8. Engr. Martin Abraka Itim – Obanliku
9. Cmrd. Ekpenyong Obo – Odukpani
10. Mr. Canice Aniah – Obudu
11. Hon. Uchuod Marcellus Ebi – Yala
12. Mr. Udey Clement Ikawu – Ogoja
13. Mr. Marshal Dickson Ayo – Obubra
14. Mr. Emmanuel Ndum – Etung
15. Mr. Mbissang Abung – Ikom
16. Mr. Amissine Usetu Ogban – Biase
17. Mr. Kennedy Ubi Jbiang – Yakurr
18. Mr. Victor Ofum Agbor – Boki
