Cross River State Governor Bassey Otu launched his 2027 re-election bid in Calabar on Saturday, urging members of the All Progressives Congress (APC) campaign council to showcase his administration's achievements in debt reduction, infrastructure renewal, and fiscal restructuring under the People First Agenda.
Speaking to party stakeholders, the governor emphasized that securing a second term would transition the state from economic stabilization to sustainable wealth creation and collective prosperity. He urged campaign officials to take the administration's scorecard directly to the electorate, maintaining that continuity is vital for solidifying the development foundations established since May 2023.
What were the core challenges inherited in 2023?
Reflecting on the state of affairs when he assumed office, Otu noted that Cross River was contending with security challenges, a low-spirited civil service, and neglected public infrastructure. He stated that his administration deliberately focused its initial phase on reversing economic setbacks rather than making unrealistic promises.
"We did not promise all things in one year, but we covenanted to stop the bleeding, clear the ground, recover the losses and restore abandonments," the governor remarked.
How much debt has the administration cleared?
Addressing fiscal administration, Otu reported that his government successfully decreased the inherited domestic liability of more than ₦204 billion by over ₦70 billion without acquiring new loans, reducing the total outstanding obligation to approximately ₦132.3 billion by March 2026. Additionally, internally generated revenue experienced substantial growth, climbing from ₦21.1 billion in 2022 to ₦46.3 billion in 2024.
"Every debt retired is freedom for our children and house-cleaning for fresh fiscal air," Otu stated, emphasizing that disciplined financial management has created fiscal space for enhanced public service delivery.
What public assets have been reclaimed?
Highlighting asset recovery as a cornerstone of his first term, the governor pointed to the successful retrieval of the Tinapa resort from the Asset Management Corporation of Nigeria (AMCON). He also mentioned the recovery of nearly ₦1 billion from the Etung Cocoa Estates, alongside ongoing strategic measures to reclaim the state's oil wells and protect its economic interests within the Bakassi region and the proposed Deep Seaport project.