By Kelvin Obambon
The Cross River State Elders Advisory Council, operating under the umbrella of the Cross River State Consultative Forum (CRSCF), has formally adopted its operational terms of reference and endorsed President Bola Ahmed Tinubu and Governor Bassey Edet Otu for second terms ahead of the 2027 general elections.
The council reached these resolutions during its inaugural formal meeting held on Saturday, August 15, 2026, at the Channel View Hotel in Calabar. The event brought together key political figures, including former members of the House of Representatives, and other prominent leaders drawn from the state’s Central, Northern, and Southern senatorial districts.
In an address, the Chairman of the Council and former Governor of Cross River State, Chief Clement Ebri, stated that while the body operates within a political environment, its broader role is to serve as an independent reservoir of wisdom and an advocate for the state’s collective interests.
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Ebri issued a stern warning against external interference in the state’s political affairs, asserting that Cross Riverians will not allow outside interests to dictate their political future.
“Cross Riverians will not sit idly by and watch meddlesome interlopers determine who should govern our state or dictate the political destiny of our people,” he said. “We welcome friends, partners, and well-meaning Nigerians who wish Cross River well. But the decision as to who governs Cross River belongs to Cross Riverians, and Cross Riverians alone.”
He commended Governor Bassey Otu’s administration for its ongoing developmental and infrastructural projects, urging elders and citizens to offer constructive feedback while supporting government programs.
Also speaking at the event, Barr. Eyo Nsa Ekpo, Chairman of the Cross River State Consultative Forum, highlighted the strategic objectives of the initiative, which include institutionalizing leadership succession, ending the tradition of abandoning projects from previous administrations, and mobilizing political support down to the polling unit level.
Ekpo noted that the forum aims to position Cross River State strategically within the national political landscape to maximize benefits for its citizens. He affirmed the forum’s commitment to driving mass participation in upcoming elections to ensure high voter turnout for the All Progressives Congress (APC).
At the conclusion of the session, the Elders Advisory Council issued an official communiqué outlining its adopted Terms of Reference, which position the council as a chief advisory organ to the state government.
According to the communiqué, the council’s core mandate encompasses: rendering timely counsel to the Governor and State Executive Council on governance, policy, and inter-governmental relations; monitoring government interventions at the grassroots level to ensure a bottom-up policy approach; counseling on conflict resolution, social cohesion, and engagement with traditional institutions.
Others are: advocating for the state’s interests at the national level regarding resource allocation, boundary matters, and development status; preserving governance continuity and serving as an independent think-tank.
The communiqué concluded with a joint endorsement of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu and Governor Bassey Edet Otu for second terms, citing confidence in their leadership, while reiterating that the state’s political leadership decisions remain strictly the prerogative of Cross Riverians.
