By Kelvin Obambon
The political landscape of Cross River witnessed a seismic shift at the weekend as the state’s top leadership, led by Deputy Governor Peter Odey, declared a target of three million votes for President Bola Ahmed Tinubu in the 2027 election, citing the President’s role in protecting the state’s economic interests and infrastructure development.
Speaking at a massive grassroots mobilization rally at Ikom Township Stadium on Saturday, Odey highlighted the administration’s commitment to the welfare of workers and the restoration of the state’s natural resources.
He revealed that the administration has already injected N10 billion to address the long-standing gratuity backlog that has lingered since 2007.
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“Before we came on board, there was unpaid gratuity in Cross River since 2007. We released N10 billion to pay gratuities to our retired workers,” the Deputy Governor stated. “Let me assure you, before the middle of this year, another money will be coming to clear the remaining gratuity.”
Odey praised President Bola Ahmed Tinubu for his intervention in the state’s boundary disputes and his commitment to the Lagos-Calabar Coastal Highway, which he claimed would reduce travel time between the two cities to just three and a half hours.
“When they tried to cheat us of our oil well, we got one man who said, ‘No, you will not cheat Cross River State.’ That is the President,” he said. Turning to the upcoming political season, the Deputy Governor added: “In the last election, Cross River State gave Tinubu about 130,000 votes. But this time around, we want to make a statement. We are going to give three million votes to our Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu.”
Director General and Convener of the Prince Is Coming Movement, Hon. Emmanuel Ironbar, provided a historical context for the “Prince Is Coming” Movement, which supports Governor Bassey Edet Otu. Ironbar who is the Chief of Staff to the Governor, described the movement as a response to the “political obstruction” the Otu faced in previous years.
He listed achievements under the Tinubu-led administration that have benefitted Cross River immensely, including the expansion of the Nigeria Education Loan Fund (NELFUND), the establishment of the South South Development Commission, among others.
“The Governor’s word is his bond,” Ironbar reassured supporters. “Those who may feel left behind should remain steadfast. The reward and inclusion under His Excellency’s leadership will soon manifest.”
On his part, Chief Soni Abang, Executive Director of the South South Development Commission, urged patience with the President’s economic reforms. He argued that President Tinubu is “the only president who has lived with the problems of Nigeria all through his life and has sought private solutions.”
Addressing the rising cost of living, Abang noted that “People want to blame the current fuel prices on President Tinubu. Is it Tinubu that started the war in Iran? Even at that, our fuel prices are still lower than in many parts of the world. Once this global problem is over, our progression will continue.”
