By Cletus Asuquo
Nine out of the eleven members of the National Assembly (NASS) from Cross River State have formally endorsed President Bola Ahmed Tinubu and Governor Bassey Otu as the sole candidates for the 2027 general elections.
The endorsement was made on Thursday at the International Conference Centre in Calabar, the Cross River State capital, by the lawmakers under the banner of the All Progressives Congress (APC) Caucus in the National Assembly.
Speaking on behalf of the group, Sen. Eteng Jonah Williams, representing the Central Senatorial District, praised the leadership and developmental strides of both Tinubu and Otu, describing them as deserving of another term in office.
“Let’s start with Mr President, who is our father. The Lagos-Calabar Coastal Highway is a testament to the students’ loan, one of the benefits of subsidy removal, and several other projects,” Sen. Williams stated. “For us in Cross River, we’re endorsing him wholeheartedly to be the sole candidate come 2027,” he said.
Sen. Williams further noted that Governor Otu has made visible progress across the state, including the rehabilitation of the state library and the improvement in security through the recently launched Operation Okwok.
“We’ve seen what he’s done: the state library, which is now wearing a new look, the security improvement, and projects in every local government even in my village,” he added. “Our Governor and his Deputy don’t need to be stressed. For the peace of our land, we’ll say, let’s endorse him and the party won’t stress him.”
Also speaking at the event, Rt. Hon. Mike Etaba, who represents Obubra/Etung Federal Constituency, said the endorsement is intended to allow both leaders to focus on governance without distractions.
“We’re endorsing them to concentrate and continue so they won’t be distracted,” Etaba said.
Hon. Bassey Akiba of Calabar Municipality/Odukpani Federal Constituency echoed the same sentiment, aligning the endorsement with legislative practice.
“Like we do in the parliament, when there’s an enactment at the national level, we try to domicile it in the sub-national. So we are here to endorse the President and the Governor for a second term,” Akiba noted.
Other APC lawmakers present at the endorsement include Sen. Asuquo Ekpenyong (Southern Senatorial District), Hon. Emil Inyang (Akamkpa/Biase), Rt. Hon. Alex Egbonna (Abi/Yakurr), Hon. Victor Abang (Ikom/Boki), Hon. Joseph Bassey (Akpabuyo/Bakassi/Calabar South), and Hon. Peter Akpanke (Obanliku/Bekwarra/Obudu), the only PDP member present.