The Governor of Cross River State, Bassey Otu, has dismissed the chances of the African Democratic Congress (ADC) and the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) of emerging victorious in the upcoming 2027 general elections.
According to Otu, both parties lack the capacity to win power either in the state or at the national level, stating that they do not possess the leadership qualities required to manage the nation’s affairs.
Speaking yesterday in Calabar while receiving the endorsement of repentant members of the ex-Bakassi Defence Force for his re-election bid, Otu described the ADC as a gathering of “kwashiorkor politicians” bent on dragging Nigeria backward.
“We have heard that there are some kwashiokor persons making moves to take over power. They call themselves ADC. They are nothing more than detractors, a distraction! They can’t take Cross River back to Egypt,” Otu said.
The governor also dismissed the PDP as another “sickly group” incapable of returning Nigeria to what he called “the dark days.”
“As one who was once in opposition, I know detractors when I see them. They cannot achieve anything. It is glaring that people don’t like the truth, but we have seen those who put Nigerians where they were before we came in. They won’t succeed,” he added.
Otu stressed that his People First administration would remain focused on delivering dividends of democracy across the state, highlighting achievements in infrastructure, agriculture, health, education, tourism, security, and youth empowerment.
He assured that despite his criticism of the opposition, his government would not clamp down on dissenting voices.
“Well, we are in a democracy. And so, we won’t stop them from exercising their rights of speaking and grouping for political purposes,” Otu maintained.
Meanwhile, the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Cross River State has also hit back at the opposition, describing former state chairman of the PDP, Venatius Ikem, as a “decapitated ship loaded with calamity.”
In a statement signed by its Publicity Secretary, Emmanuel Inyang, the APC said Ikem lacked the moral authority to question Governor Otu’s achievements, noting that the PDP left behind “abandoned projects, crippling debt, and decayed institutions” during its years of misrule.
“Under Governor Bassey Otu’s People First administration, Cross River State has witnessed visible development strides across infrastructure, health, security, education, agriculture, tourism, human capital and workers’ welfare. From the ongoing rehabilitation of critical roads across the three senatorial districts to improved healthcare delivery and renewed investment in agriculture and youth empowerment, this administration has demonstrated unmatched commitment to the people,” the statement read.
The APC challenged Ikem to point to one tangible achievement of the PDP in its dying days of governance, insisting that the governor and the party remain focused on building a prosperous future for Cross River.
Governor Otu added that the overwhelming support his administration continues to receive, including endorsements like that of the ex-Bakassi Defence Force, is proof that Cross River people are satisfied with his leadership and are ready to renew his mandate in 2027.
