Cross River State Governor Bassey Otu has formally returned his All Progressives Congress nomination form for the 2027 governorship election while delivering a conciliatory message to the state’s political class, urging Cross Riverians to embrace unity and common purpose as the foundation for reclaiming the state’s political relevance and driving sustainable development.
Speaking in Abuja after the submission, Otu acknowledged that Cross River had suffered declining influence at the national level in recent years, attributing the setback to weak electoral participation and internal disunity that had reduced the state’s capacity to project decisive political weight in national decision-making.
He took a deliberately philosophical tone on the question of succession and power, expressing his intention to govern with equity and fairness and insisting that leadership decisions should never be treated as personal encroachments by those who did not prevail. “Power comes from God. I will do the best for the state in terms of being fair. Nobody should take whatever happens as if it is a personal encroachment,” he said.
He promised impartiality in his approach to governance and political engagement, describing honesty and integrity as the only foundations capable of standing the test of time in political leadership.
