The Cross River State representative on the Board of the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC), Rt. Hon. Orok Otu Duke Ph.D, has called on Cross Riverians to support President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s re-election bid and back candidates of the All Progressives Congress (APC), citing development interventions and opportunities delivered through the Federal Government and the NDDC.
Duke has in recent months intensified his engagement with APC grassroots structures in Cross River State. In May 2026, he urged APC members in Ward 11, Calabar South, to sustain grassroots mobilisation, remain united and support all candidates of the party ahead of the 2027 elections.
The NDDC representative has also been associated with calls for Cross Riverians to take advantage of opportunities provided through the Commission, including scholarships, skills acquisition, empowerment and infrastructure programmes.
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His appeal comes against the backdrop of a number of NDDC interventions in Cross River State, spanning roads, healthcare, agriculture, youth empowerment and other infrastructure.
NDDC interventions across Cross River
Among the major projects documented by the NDDC are:
1. Calabar road network
In June 2025, the Federal Government commissioned an 8.137-kilometre road network covering parts of Calabar South and Calabar Municipality. The commissioning was conducted alongside the inauguration of the NDDC’s ultra-modern Cross River State office. The Commission also flagged off the first phase of its distribution of handheld tiller machines to farmers.
2. Okomita–Uyanga–Ehom Road
The NDDC is executing the 20-kilometre Okomita–Uyanga–Ehom Road, linking communities in Akamkpa and Biase Local Government Areas. The Commission says the road is expected to improve access to markets, education, healthcare and agricultural communities.
3. Idundu Junction–Idundu Bridge Road
Another ongoing intervention is the 1.5-kilometre Idundu Junction–Idundu Bridge Road in Akpabuyo Local Government Area, which was inspected by the Senate Committee on NDDC in 2025.
4. Aking–Osomba Road
The Commission is also executing the 10.8-kilometre Aking–Osomba Road in Akamkpa LGA, another project inspected during the Senate committee’s assessment of NDDC projects in the state.
5. Adiabo–Ikon–Neto Road
The Adiabo–Ikon–Neto Road is among the projects highlighted by Governor Bassey Otu during an NDDC engagement in 2025. The governor appealed to the Commission to accelerate work on the road as part of the state’s priority infrastructure projects.
6. Ikom Specialist Hospital
The NDDC, through a partnership involving the Nigeria LNG, has been working on the Specialist Hospital in Ikom. The Commission said in 2025 that the hospital was nearing completion. It is also listed among the NDDC’s major legacy projects in the Niger Delta.
7. Free healthcare outreach
In June 2024, the NDDC launched a free healthcare programme at the General Hospital, Akamkpa, targeting residents of rural communities. The outreach was designed to provide medical services to people who might otherwise have difficulty accessing healthcare.
8. Youth empowerment and skills acquisition
In May 2026, the NDDC announced that it had trained 500 young men and women in financial prudence as part of its Skills Acquisition and Capacity Enhancement Programme in Cross River. The Commission also distributed 150 minibuses and 200 tricycles to another set of beneficiaries to support livelihoods and enterprise.
9. Agricultural empowerment
The NDDC also commenced the distribution of handheld tiller machines to farmers in Cross River in 2025, describing the intervention as part of its efforts to promote sustainable development and improve livelihoods.
10. Scholarships and human-capital development
Cross River has also benefited from NDDC human-capital programmes, including the Commission’s postgraduate scholarship scheme. NDDC records show that Cross River is among the mandate states participating in the scholarship programme, although its allocation is smaller than those of some higher oil-producing states.
Duke: Development should translate into political support
Duke’s argument is that beneficiaries of federal and NDDC interventions should recognise the opportunities created by continued engagement with the Federal Government.
In a separate engagement with APC Ward 9 members in Calabar South, Duke urged continued support for President Tinubu, arguing that continuity could bring additional federal support, development projects, empowerment initiatives and appointments to Cross River State.
He has similarly urged APC members to avoid division and anti-party activities and to work collectively for the success of all APC candidates in 2027.
The NDDC itself has repeatedly linked some of its current programmes to President Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda. At the 2025 commissioning of projects in Calabar, Regional Development Minister Abubakar Momoh said the projects reflected the Federal Government’s commitment to development in the Niger Delta, while NDDC officials highlighted the Commission’s focus on infrastructure, agriculture and community development.
The Commission has also said Cross River, as an NDDC mandate state, is entitled to benefit from its interventions. NDDC Managing Director Samuel Ogbuku stated during a 2025 visit to Governor Otu that the Commission remained willing to partner with the state government on infrastructure and other development initiatives.
With the 2027 elections approaching, Duke’s mobilisation efforts place the NDDC interventions within a wider political argument over continuity, federal partnership, and the benefits Cross Riverians have received from projects and programmes of the Tinubu administration.
