By Asuquo Cletus
The Cross River State Working and Executive Committees of the All Progressives Congress (APC) have unanimously endorsed Governor Bassey Otu and his deputy, Peter Odey, as the party’s sole candidates for the 2027 gubernatorial election.
Declaring their decision on Monday during a press briefing at the party’s secretariat, the state party chairman Alphonsus Eba, emphasized the duo’s leadership, loyalty, and governance track record, affirming that “nobody changes a winning team.”
Alphonsus also called on all members and support groups to mobilize for grassroots outreach while reaffirming its stance against unauthorized legal actions in its name.
Addressing concerns over political inclusivity, APC leadership maintained that other positions remain open for contest, except for the governorship and deputy governorship seats.
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He said “It’s been almost one year and ten months in office. I’ve come to show that we made the best choice. They say that one good time deserves another. It’s why we have decided to start, and to make it known, that in front of the Peregrino Government House of Cross River States, the State Working Committee of the party, and the State Executive Committee of the party, met today, and have come and resolved that Senator Prince Bassey Edet Otu, is our sole candidate for the Governorship election of 2027.
“It was a joint ticket that they had, with His Excellency, the present acting Governor, RT Hon Peter Odey, a young man whom we have found so much loyalty, we have seen so much intellect, we have seen so much support base to the Governor.
“Nobody changes a winning team, and we know that the Governor is a man that is filled with wisdom. It is therefore the decision of this party, that these two best pair, by the special grace of God, will fly the flag of our party in 2027.
“All party members, support groups, are therefore commissioned to freely go into the field, and to continue the evangelical mission that will now take them to the field. Nobody speaks to the converted. We need to do more work, with our brothers and sisters in the opposition, to join hands with us.
“This is because, Cross River State politics has 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 has now berthed back in the South.
“And because the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria guarantees the right to seek second term, and because this party is in full support of His Excellency, the Governor and his deputy, even if he is unwilling to run, we are saying that we will procure only one ticket, and we will have his name, just like we did in 2023. We are appealing to him, to hack into the heartbeat of members of our party, that wants him to continue the good works.”
He praised Governor Otu and Acting Governor Odey for their alignment with President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s declaration of a state of emergency in Rivers State, asserting it was a necessary step to prevent conflict escalation.
“We want to also use this opportunity to thank His Excellency the Governor, and even while he was not here, to use the opportunity of the action of the Acting Governor of the State, who came out very boldly to giving support to the action of Mr. President, when a state of emergency was declared in River State.
“That action that has brought peace today in River State, which some persons in the South-South Governors Forum almost misrepresented the position of Cross River State, but for which the Acting Governor of Cross River State came out boldly, courageously, to say that he was never consulted as Acting Governor, a position that we are so proud of, that our boss, the Governor himself, who is on short vacation, also agreed with totally.
“We are proud of our leaders. And we use this opportunity to commend Mr. President for that bold action, which truly, truly has brought peace today, because the drums of war that we started witnessing when the letter of service of impeachment notice was sent, was acting of almost like the return of the Armageddon, but that today has been saved, and we say all thanks to God.
“In the politics of Cross River State, we want to use this opportunity to make it widely known that anybody who aspires to run for any office apart from the office of the Governor and Deputy Governor of the State, those who are already sitting, they have the right to aspire.
“Those who intend to take over those seats from them also have a right to aspire, and we have not given automatic seats or tickets to anybody apart from the Governor and Deputy Governor. Everybody is therefore enjoined to please return back 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 engaged should know that there is still time for engagement, because primaries will only be sometime next year around this time, and therefore, for the little efforts that have been made, they can only build on it,” he added.
The APC also promised to unseat Senator Jarigbe Agom of the People’s Democratic Party in the National Assembly.
