By Michael Jegede
On January 12, 2024, the Supreme Court in a unanimous decision by a five-member panel, led by Justice Inyang Okoro, affirmed Senator (Prince) Bassey Edet Otu as the governor of Cross River State, in agreement with his declaration by the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, as winner of the March 18, 2023 governorship election in the state.
INEC had declared Otu of the All Progressives Congress, APC, winner of the guber poll at the end of the voting exercise, having polled a total of 258,619 votes and won 15 out of the 18 Local Government Areas of Cross River State to defeat his closest opponent, Senator Sandy Ojang Onor of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, who gathered 179,636 votes.
Upon the pronouncement of Otu as the duly elected governor of Cross River State by the electoral umpire, Senator Onor, notwithstanding that the election was widely acknowledged as free, fair and transparent, went ahead to challenge the outcome at the tribunal. He claimed that Otu did not possess the requisite educational qualification to contest the election and his deputy, Rt. Hon. Peter Odey was not a member of the APC when he was nominated by the party.
Onor lost at the tribunal as his case was struck out for lack of merit. Dissatisfied, he proceeded to the Court of Appeal, where the tribunal’s verdict dismissing his petition was further upheld.
Perhaps in his conviction that he has a case, Onor found his way to the Supreme Court, the highest court in the land, with an appeal he filed against the ruling of the appellate court. At the apex court, Justice Helen Ogunwumiju, who read out the lead judgment, equally dismissed Onor’s appeal, maintaining that “the appeal is without merit, a waste of judicial time and resources.” Justice Ogunwumiju held further that “the Supreme Court will not subvert the wishes of the people on inconsequential issues that are against the settled principles of law.”
The entire Cross River State was said to have erupted in jubilation, following the news of the Supreme Court judgment validating Otu’s election. It was indeed a moment of excitement and celebration galore for Cross Riverians, who had wondered why anyone would want to use the court to remove a man they freely and willingly gave their votes, knowing that he has the capacity, integrity, pedigree and leadership acumen to offer the state good governance that will bring democratic dividends to their doorsteps.
The people were considerably filled with joy and hope for the sweet journey ahead as they rolled out the drums to celebrate Otu’s triumph at the Supreme Court. They strongly believe that with Otu as the captain of the state’s ship, a brighter future is ahead for the residents of Cross River. For them, the Supreme Court ruling has paved the way for a continuation of the transformative steps Governor Otu, popularly known as Sweet prince, has taken to reposition Cross River for greatness and prosperity.
Reacting to the verdict of the apex court given in his favour, Otu dedicated the victory to the electorate who, according to him, braved the odds to vote for him on March 18, 2023.
He said: “You (electorate) demonstrated your dedication to our nation by braving the elements, sacrificing your time, and putting aside personal endeavors to answer the call to vote for the candidate who would lead Cross River State as governor.
“It is now a time for statesmanship. As your governor, I humbly call upon the wisdom and expertise of our esteemed statesmen to join me in building a prosperous and egalitarian Cross River State. We need your patriotism, peace, empathy, zeal, and integrity to achieve the vision we all desire for our state.
“To my esteemed electorate, I wish to state categorically that the scorching sun, the howling wind and other elements you braved while you queued patiently to cast your vote for me, is an opportunity cost for good governance. I cherish your sacrifice, I salute your courage.”
The governor reiterated his “commitment to good governance by ensuring that the citizens are healthy, well-educated, prosperous and socially empowered to compete favourably with their contemporaries in other states. This is the trajectory of my administration – which is people-centred. Governance is a convergence of ideas, no matter how diverse they may be.
“Therefore, I welcome opinions and constructive criticisms from well-meaning Cross Riverians, both within Nigeria and in the Diaspora. Together, we are determined to bring smiles to the faces of our people. By working together with love, we can lighten the load and achieve our goals.”
A former Senate Leader and legal luminary, Senator Victor Ndoma-Egba, SAN, describing the Supreme Court judgement as a welcome development, noting that all the distractions occasioned by the cases instituted against Otu’s victory at the polls were over, and the governor would now be able to give full concentration to governance.
According to the erstwhile Chairman of Niger Delta Development Commission, NDDC, “It (the Supreme Court ruling) was an expected end. This is the last distraction for His Excellency, Senator Bassey Otu, and a victory for the people of Cross River State. He now has no excuse not to urgently deliver the infrastructural and human capital development of Cross River State to restore it as the preferred destination.”
The former chairman of the NDDC board charged the people of Cross River State to continue to support tye Sweet Prince, as he works tirelessly to achieve his People-First Agenda in the interest of the state.
The legislator representing Ikom/Boki federal constituency in the green chamber of the National Assembly on the platform of the APC, Hon Victor Abang, observed that Otu’s governance initiatives were already yielding positive results for the growth and development of the state, hence, the wild celebration by Cross Riverians over the apex court affirmation.
In a statement by Abang’s media assistant, Simon Abang, the lawmaker said, “Congratulations to Senator Prince Bassey Otu, our amiable governor on the affirmation of his electoral victory by the Supreme Court. This victory attests to the trust and support bestowed upon him by the vast majority of Cross Riverians during the March elections.
“The opposition’s needless efforts to contest this victory only highlight the unequivocal endorsement Senator Otu received from the people. His resilience and commitment to the democratic process have been duly recognized by the highest court in the land.
“Commendable are Senator Otu’s good governance initiatives that have undoubtedly contributed to the progress and development of Cross River State. His leadership has set a commendable standard, and I encourage him to continue on this path for the betterment of our state.
“As Senator Otu embarks on the responsibilities of his office, I enjoin all Cross Riverians to rally behind his administration. Together, we can contribute to the enhancement of human and material development, fostering a prosperous future for our beloved state.”
In a similar vein, the representative of Calabar Municipality/Odukpani federal constituency in the House of Representatives, Hon. Akiba Bassey, a member of the Labour Party, LP, reportedly said, “The apex aourt has once again stood by the people by validating the election in which the residents and indigenes of Cross River State defied all odds and voted overwhelmingly to elect Senator (Prince) Bassey Edet Otu as their governor.
“The Supreme Court verdict is historic, it is a beauty of democracy, it is a beauty of the power of inclusiveness in governance, where everybody would have an opportunity to express themselves at the highest level and as a people that is governed by a constitution, we all need to abide by this constitution.
“Our governor can now be focused on the task of governance, all the distractions are behind him, he has a lot of work to do. He assumed office at a time when audacious and bold decisions have to be made, which he has made, he now has to keep his eyes on the ball and continue with his vision to foster a united and prosperous Cross River State.”
The Commissioner for Information in Cross River, Mr Erasmus Ekpang, on his part, was reported to have said there was God’s hand in Otu’s triumphant outing at the Supreme Court, even as he accused Onor, the PDP candidate of wanting to thwart the wishes of the people using the court.
Ekpang was quoted as saying, “I am so excited that this attempt to technically remove the duly elected governor through the court has failed.
“In the past few months, the people have seen what the governor has done and still doing to restore the state to its lost glory.
“That is why l say the people who appreciate this are praying for the governor’s success and thus his victory today has the hand of God in it.
“The only thing I have for the opposition is, if it so love Cross River, they should join hands with the governor to make it great again.”
Accepting the Supreme Court verdict in good faith, the PDP and Onor in separate statements congratulated Otu, and urged all Cross Riverians, irrespective of their affiliations or extractions, to close ranks and support the governor to ensure the progress and development of Cross River.
In the statement, signed by its Chairman in the state, Venatius Ikem, the PDP said, “As a party, we wish to, with all sense of responsibility, join various stakeholders of our state in congratulating His Excellency, Senator Prince Bassey Edet Otu and his deputy, Hon. Peter Odey on their victory at the polls.
“We urge the government to see this as a call to reunite the state and as a matter of urgency, return it on the path of much needed development, especially after the disastrous eight years of the previous administration.
“We call on His Excellency to navigate the ship of this state in a manner that will earn the state some modicum of respect, in the comity of states in Nigeria because the present standing of the state is manifestly not an enviable one. This calls for pragmatic and innovative approaches to governance that takes into consideration all shades of opinion.
“As an opposition party, the PDP will begin the onerous task of objectively and constructively holding the government to account whenever necessary and in the interest of good governance to ensure the delivery of democratic dividends to the good people of Cross River State.
“We therefore call on our party faithful and indeed all stakeholders of our dear state to close ranks and come together to contribute to the development and repositioning of our state under the new administration. Now is the time for governance and the collective best interest of our state must supersede all else.”
Speaking on how the congratulatory messages from the PDP and its candidate were received by Sweet Prince, the Special Adviser to the governor on General Duties, Barrister Ekpenyong Akiba, in an interview, avowed, “Let me say this without any equivocation that Senator Bassey Otu did not emerge governor only by the making of the APC. He became governor with the support of members of other political parties including the PDP, Labour Party, the ADC, and so on. That is because in those political parties, beyond those who have interest that was parochial in nature, the masses regardless of their membership of any political party supported the Back-to-South Movement.
“That was why he (Otu) had that kind of victory at the polls. That victory did not only come from APC. Therefore, in Cross River Prince Otu doesn’t see any group as an opposition. He sees everybody as a Cross Riverian. That is why regardless of the fact that this is coming late having spent time, resources, energy and what have you, the governor in his magnanimity has welcomed that development because it is for the good of Cross Riverians and Cross River. For us that are his allies, messengers, followers and loyalists, we have no other option than to follow his directives, body language and modus operandi, which is embracing all for the good of the state.”
On the feeling of joy expressed by Cross Riverians over Otu’s Supreme Court victory, Akiba said, “There is happiness in the air. There is freshness everywhere. There has been celebration at every point beginning from the day the Supreme Court judgement was delivered. At different gatherings people are on their own doing thanksgiving because Senator Bassey Otu is the people’s governor. He never gave the name Sweet Prince to himself. It was occasioned by his selfless service to the people, while he was in the National Assembly. He earned that sobriquet from his service to humanity. In his words, he said he joined politics for service. And he has demonstrated that much in all the public offices he has occupied. He graduated from Sweet Prince in the House Reps to Sweetest Prince in the Senate. The Cross River people are at peace with the governor and they are happy with him. He is loved by Cross Riverians.”
On what the people should expect going forward as far as governance is concerned, with the obstacles posed by the litigations now surmounted, the Special Adviser further stated, “The governor in his People-First manifesto made promises to Cross Riverians. And the governor is well-known as a promise keeper and a God-fearing politician. So he is working hard to fulfil his promises to the people. Today in Cross River, you can boast of zero potholes. Today in Cross River, roads are being repaired and constructed. Today in Cross River, we are beginning to have our streetlights. Abandoned government infrastructures are getting the needed attention. The state library that was long abandoned has been awarded for reconstruction. A lot is being done in the various sectors to reposition the state. So the people should expect more of these good things from the government. Skill acquisition, employment opportunities, infrastructural development, that is what they should expect.”
•Jegede, a journalist, writes from the Federal Capital Territory, FCT. Abuja,
