The Director-General of Neighbour2Neighbour Grassroots Network, Dr. Bobby Ekpenyong, has described Governor Bassey Edet Otu’s performance in office as the strongest justification for his re-election in 2027, saying the Governor deserves a second term to consolidate the development gains recorded across Cross River State.
Ekpenyong said the Otu administration had, in the last three years, demonstrated commitment to improving security, infrastructure, workers’ welfare, agriculture and the state’s investment climate, arguing that continuity was necessary to sustain the momentum.
He said one of the administration’s major achievements was the creation of a relatively safe environment for residents, businesses and investors, describing Cross River as a security model whose architecture had attracted attention from other states.
“Is Cross River State safe under Senator Bassey Edet Otu? The answer is a resounding yes. Cross River State is a security model state where other governors are tapping into the security architecture and techniques that the Governor has deployed to provide the safe society we now enjoy,” Ekpenyong said.
He also cited the regular payment of workers’ salaries and the resumption of employment into the state civil service after more than a decade as evidence of the administration’s commitment to the welfare of Cross Riverians.
According to him, the return of investors and increased economic activities across the state were further indications that the Otu administration was creating an environment conducive to business growth.
“Investors have returned to Cross River State. Businesses are flourishing. Look at nightlife, hospitality, entertainment and transportation,” he said.
Ekpenyong said the Governor’s engagements outside the state and country had also contributed to efforts to attract investment, stressing that Cross River could not develop major projects solely with its limited financial resources.
He pointed to opportunities around the Bakassi Deep Seaport and new oil frontiers as examples of areas where external investment and partnerships were required, arguing that Governor Otu’s international engagements were part of his efforts to connect the state to the global investment community.
“We want a governor who has the connections and capacity to link Cross River State to the world,” he said.
The Neighbour2Neighbour DG also highlighted the administration’s infrastructure programme, particularly the simultaneous construction of roads across the three senatorial districts, as evidence of a broad-based development strategy.
“Road construction is going on across the three senatorial districts simultaneously. It has never happened before in the history of governance in Cross River State,” Ekpenyong said.
He further praised the administration’s investment in agriculture and support for farmers, saying the sector remained critical to strengthening the state’s economy and improving the livelihoods of rural communities.
Ekpenyong also said Governor Otu’s political experience and record of public service had positioned him to effectively manage the affairs of the state, recalling his empowerment initiatives during his time in the House of Representatives.
“He has the pedigree and antecedents of performance right from when he was in the House of Representatives. He introduced empowerment, empowering people. That’s what endeared Cross Riverians, who are not even from his political divide, to vote overwhelmingly for him,” he said.
He said his assessment of the Governor’s popularity was reinforced by his interactions with residents across the state through the Neighbour2Neighbour Grassroots Network, claiming that the feedback from communities showed strong support for Otu’s second-term bid.
“The people of Cross River State are overwhelmingly behind the Senator Bassey Edet Otu-led government. They are very ready to vote for Governor Otu,” Ekpenyong said.
He urged Cross Riverians to support the Governor’s re-election in 2027, arguing that a second term would give the administration the opportunity to consolidate ongoing projects, attract more investment and deepen its interventions across key sectors.
Ekpenyong maintained that Governor Otu’s record, rather than political rhetoric, should form the basis of the 2027 decision, insisting that the administration’s performance had provided a compelling case for continuity.
By Kingsley Agim
