A political pressure group, CODE 888, has endorsed Cross River State Governor, Senator Bassey Edet Otu, for a second term in office, saying its decision is anchored on the administration’s performance and the principles of equity, justice and fairness that have shaped the state’s governorship succession since 1999.
The endorsement was announced in Calabar during the unveiling of the group’s “Complete the 8 Campaign,” a statewide advocacy initiative designed to mobilise support for Governor Otu and his deputy, Rt. Hon. Peter Odey, ahead of the 2027 governorship election.
Speaking at the event, the Director General of CODE 888, Engr. Maurice Nkong, described the organisation as a political pressure group established to champion equity, justice and fairness, stressing that it was neither floating a new political party nor attacking any individual or region, but promoting a political principle that has sustained peace, mutual trust and political stability in Cross River State for more than two decades.
Nkong said the group’s endorsement was informed not only by the principle of power rotation but also by what it described as the achievements of the Otu administration across key sectors of governance, including security, healthcare, infrastructure, environmental sanitation and support for Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs).
According to him, since the return to democratic rule in 1999, each of the state’s three senatorial districts that had produced a governor had been allowed to complete two consecutive four-year terms. He noted that former Governors Donald Duke, Senator Liyel Imoke and Senator Ben Ayade each served eight years after emerging from the Southern, Central and Northern Senatorial Districts respectively.
“It is therefore our considered position that, in the interest of equity, justice, fairness, continuity and political stability, the Southern Senatorial District should be given the same opportunity to complete eight years in office through two constitutionally permissible terms,” Nkong stated.
He, however, acknowledged the constitutional right of every Nigerian to seek elective office, stressing that CODE 888 was not opposed to anyone’s political ambition. Rather, he said the group was advocating adherence to the political convention that has promoted peace, inclusion and stability in the state.
Nkong disclosed that CODE 888 would embark on consultations, policy dialogues, grassroots engagements and media advocacy across the 18 local government areas to build public consensus around preserving the state’s rotational governorship arrangement. He also appealed to the media to report the group’s activities fairly and objectively while reaffirming its commitment to peaceful and issue-based democratic engagement.
Also speaking, Engr. George Abang said the Otu administration had recorded measurable achievements across critical sectors, including education, healthcare and infrastructure, citing the renovation of schools and primary healthcare centres, recruitment of teachers and health workers, as well as ongoing road rehabilitation projects across the state.
Abang maintained that government performance should be assessed using a broad range of socio-economic indicators rather than isolated statistics, arguing that the cumulative impact of ongoing interventions across various sectors demonstrates the administration’s commitment to improving the welfare of Cross Riverians.
Another member of the group, Mr. Great Ogban, said CODE 888 would sustain consultations and stakeholder engagements across the state to galvanise support for Governor Otu’s re-election. He urged Cross Riverians to embrace the campaign in the interest of continuity, stability and the preservation of the peace the state has continued to enjoy.
By Kingsley Agim
