By Kelvin Obambon
A prominent political pressure group in Cross River, CODE 888, has formally unveiled its “Complete the 8” campaign, declaring its total endorsement of Governor Bassey Edet Otu and his deputy, Peter Odey, for a second term in office.
The group, which previously initiated the “Back to South” campaign in February 2020, stated that its renewed advocacy is built on preserving the established rotational zoning convention that has sustained peace and political stability in the state for over 25 years.
Speaking during the launch in Calabar on Thursday, the Director General of CODE 888, Engr. Maurice Nkong, emphasized that the group’s stance is not born out of political convenience, but a commitment to consistency, equity, and political morality.
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He stated that under the state’s self-regulated rotational agreement since the return to democracy in 1999, each of the three senatorial districts has successfully completed two consecutive four-year terms.
“Southern Senatorial District: Donald Duke (1999–2007); Central Senatorial District: Senator Liyel Imoke (2007–2015); Northern Senatorial District: Senator Ben Ayade (2015–2023).”
With Governor Otu, who hails from the Southern Senatorial District, currently serving his first constitutional term, the group maintained that the South must be allowed to complete its eight-year cycle.
“Our advocacy is not driven by sentiment. It is driven by consistency. If eight years was considered fair for one senatorial district, then eight years should remain fair for every senatorial district. Anything short of that raises legitimate questions about equity,” Engr. Nkong stated.
While acknowledging the constitutional right of any citizen to vie for the governorship, Nkong added: “Democracy is strengthened not only by constitutional rights but also by political morality, mutual understanding, and respect for established conventions that promote peace and unity.”
The pressure group clarified that its endorsement of the Otu-led administration is also heavily justified by the governor’s performance across key sectors. The group highlighted five critical areas where the “People First” agenda has delivered tangible results, including security and community policing, restoring the “Cleanest City” Status of Calabar, and infrastructural development.
“To boost the local economy, the state government partnered with the Bank of Industry (BOI) to establish a N2 billion counter fund for Micro, Small, and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs). Additionally, N500 million was disbursed directly to nano and micro-businesses across the 18 Local Government Areas (LGAs), alongside the relaunch of the Enterprise Development Center (EDC). These efforts earned Governor Otu the award of “Best MSME Friendly Governor in Nigeria” from the Presidency,” the group explained.
“The administration has renovated 100 Primary Health Care (PHC) facilities, employed 2,000 new health workers, and established Cross River as a national leader in immunization coverage,” it added.
CODE 888 also announced plans to launch statewide consultations, policy dialogues, and grassroots campaigns across all the 18 local government areas of the state to build a broad public consensus.
The group’s DG therefore appealed to the media for objective coverage and urged the state’s citizens to remain peaceful.
“To our youths, we say: defend justice with knowledge, not violence… Equity is not a favor. Justice is not a privilege. Fairness is not negotiable. These are the pillars upon which enduring peace and sustainable political stability are built,” he concluded.
