The Council of Traditional Rulers and Chiefs in Etung Local Government Area of Cross River State has declared Senator (Prince) Bassey Otu as the next governor of Cross River State.
Otu, a member of the House of Representatives between 2003 and 2011 and the Senate from 2011 to 2015, is the candidate of the All Progressives Congress, APC, in Cross River State for the 2023 governorship election holding on March 11.
The royal fathers made the declaration when the APC campaign team, in continuation of its statewide rally, visited them at the Council of Chiefs chambers in Effraya, Etung Local Government Area.
Receiving the team, the paramount ruler of Etung, His Royal Majesty, Ntufam Anthony Ntui Etta, commended Governor Ben Ayade on the increment of allowances to the traditional rulers in the state.
He said Prince Otu is a son of Etung and an Ntufam of Etung.
He said, “Prince Otu is our son, we are going to give him 100 per cent votes. The soul of APC was planted in Etung, we can’t betray the party.”
Speaking further, the monarch said, “We have consulted the gods and Prince Otu is our next governor…in Etung, we believe and practice zoning, our candidates are selected from the zones in respect of zoning, our joy is that Senator Owan Enoh has reconciled with the party, therefore, Etung is united for APC.”
Addressing the jubilant crowd at the rally, Senator Enoh said Etung is united behind the APC and Prince Otu, promising that the support of Etung will be accurately reflected in the election results.
He said, “I’m not directly on the ballot, but if there’s any local governmenr that will deliver for the APC, it is Etung.
“In 2014, when the APC came to the state, it took roots and berthed in Etung.
“I’m happy that on this historic day, Bassey Otu is standing with me in Etung and I need you to support Prince Otu, I stand here to make a case for a man eminently qualified, experienced and has a good heart. I entrust all my supporters to this man. Etung is for APC.”
In his remarks, the gubernatorial hopeful, Senator Otu, expressed gratitude to the people for the warm reception, assuring them of massive infrastructural and economic development.
He said, “I’m here in double capacity, as a candidate and as an Ntufam of Etung, you have shown me love, thank you for adopting me as your own. I will never forget you.
“When I was in the National Assembly I sponsored eight bills, three of those bills were passed into law, my bill on petroleum completely changed the face of the oil and gas sector, I chaired the Senate Committee on Finance and later Banking and I changed the face of the banking sector. I introduced an impressive system that has ensured the security of depositors fund and ever since then, no bank has gone out of business.
“In empowerment and welfare, I can’t count the plots of land, I can’t count the number of houses, the number of cars, the number of small businesses, the number of scholarships I gave, ask my opponent how many bills he has passed and what he has done for the Central senatorial district.
“We are going to empower the young men, because we are scaling up the agricultural value chain. Taking advantage of the cocoa factory, we will expand the cocoa economy in Etung. We will scale up your cocoa value chain and boost your productivity. The soyuthern Etung road will be constructed, the referral hospital will be completed and well equipped.”
In his speech to the people of Etung, Governor Ayade called their attention to the state’s power rotation formula.
Ayade said, “Etung people love peace and they are intelligent; Central handed over to me, will it be fair to bring it back to Central, when the people of the South have waited for 16years?”
He urged the people of Etung to vote for the candidates of the APC in all the elections.
