Follow Us on Google
By Aniekan Aniekan, Calabar
Three years after his People First mandate swept him into power, Governor Bassey Otu of Cross River State faces a critical test as political actors begin to position themselves for the 2027 governorship election. The coming months will determine whether his record of governance can withstand the intricate and often volatile dynamics of state’s politics.
The foundation of the current political landscape was laid during the 2023 electoral cycle. Prior to that contest, the immediate past governor, Senator Ben Ayade, championed a “back to South” mantra for the gubernatorial ticket. Cross River State is divided into three distinct senatorial zones comprising the Southern, Central and Northern districts. Since the return to democratic governance in 1999, power has traditionally rotated among these three senatorial districts.
Donald Duke served the Southern Senatorial District from 1999 to 2007. He was succeeded by Liyel Imoke from the Central Senatorial District between 2007 and 2015, who then handed over to Senator Ben Ayade from the Northern Senatorial District from 2015 to 2023. Having completed a full cycle of rotation, intense debates emerged regarding which zone should produce the next chief executive.
The entry of Senator Sandy Onor from the Central Senatorial District into the 2023 race raised concerns, particularly amongst southern stakeholders who believed the position was naturally theirs. The gubernatorial ambitions of John Owan Enoh, the current Minister of State for Industry, who ran under the All Progressives Congress platform, further complicated the contest. Ultimately, the rotation policy proved to be a decisive factor, acting as a masterstroke that propelled Governor Otu to victory.
With the 2023 elections concluded, the political focus has shifted entirely to 2027. Aspirants across the major political parties have largely accepted that the zoning debate is settled for this cycle. Consequently, the upcoming contest is expected to center on the performance of the incumbent administration and the capacity of challengers to offer a superior alternative.
Governor Otu has frequently highlighted several key infrastructural and social achievements recorded by his administration over the past three years. These include the construction of over 121 kilometers of roads across the state, the revival of more than 100 primary health centres, and the extensive renovation of critical public infrastructure such as the Governor’s Office and the State Library.
Additionally, work has progressed on the Obudu Cargo Airport alongside preliminary phases for the Bakassi Deep Seaport and the Calabar to Obudu Railway projects. Members of the Special Advisers Forum have mounted a robust defence of the administration, dismissing critics as poorly informed about the scale of government interventions. Providing specific insights, the Special Adviser on Health, Dr Ekpo Bassey, noted that the administration successfully lifted a decade long embargo on the recruitment of healthcare personnel.
According to Dr Bassey, the administration inherited a health sector in crisis, following 13 years without new recruitment during which many professionals retired, migrated or passed away. To address this deficiency, Governor Otu approved the employment of over 200 health professionals for secondary facilities and more than 500 community health workers for primary care. Furthermore, doctors’ salaries were adjusted to match the federal scale under the Consolidated Medical Salary Structure, while other health workers received a 50 per cent salary increase.
Other administrative updates include reports from the Special Adviser on Project Monitoring and Evaluation, Raphael Adoga, who stated that 73 critical projects had been successfully awarded. The Special Adviser on Assets Recovery, Gilbert Agbor, also reported the recovery of nearly one billion Naira from illegally occupied cocoa estates in the Etung Local Government Area, alongside measures to halt the encroachment on lands belonging to the University of Cross River State.
The Chairman of the Forum of Special Advisers, Ekpenyong Akiba, stated that these public briefings were essential to ensure accountability and showcase the tangible impacts of the People First agenda.
Other News
Nigerian politics dictates that performance metrics alone rarely guarantee electoral success, where internal party dynamics, economic conditions and shifting power blocs heavily influence outcomes. One potential challenge for the ruling party stems from lawmakers who were denied return tickets during the previous primaries. A significant number of aggrieved party members may remain indifferent to mobilization efforts, and the ability of the party leadership to reconcile these internal factions will be crucial to its 2027 performance.
Socioeconomic factors are also likely to influence voter behavior. The declining economic base of ordinary citizens, combined with reduced agricultural productivity in rural communities due to historical infrastructure deficits, could affect how the electorate views the ruling party.
The primary opposition to the governor’s re-election campaign is crystallizing around the People’s Democratic Party, led by its prominent gubernatorial stakeholder, Sir Arthur Jarvis Archibong. Sir Arthur has openly criticized the administration’s three year record, describing it as falling far short of public expectations.
In a recent address to supporters, Sir Arthur described the state of affairs as deeply unsatisfactory, alleging a lack of visionary, people centred projects. He contended that public resources were not being utilized to build sustainable public structures, promising that his platform would address these structural gaps directly.
He emphasised that the movement to reshape the governance of the state would transcend conventional party lines, focusing instead on immediate, measurable improvements for the populace.
The state chapter of the People’s Democratic Party has echoed these criticisms. The State Publicity Secretary, Prince Mike Ojisi, issued a statement asserting that the administration’s promises of economic revival and infrastructural transformation had resulted in administrative inertia. The opposition accused the government of prioritising external engagements over local governance, claiming that rural roads remain deplorable, unemployment is rising, and local businesses are struggling under severe economic pressure.
The opposition statement further claimed that the tourism sector, formerly a major economic driver for Cross River State, has experienced a decline without a clear recovery plan, while agricultural diversification initiatives remain underfunded. The party urged the administration to provide a transparent accounting of all federal allocations, internally generated revenue, and special intervention funds received over the past three years.
As the political landscape takes shape, Governor Otu possesses a distinct infrastructural and welfare record to present to the electorate, characterized by road construction, healthcare investments, and civil service reforms. His supporters maintain that these actions have stabilized vital sectors that were previously on the brink of collapse.
Conversely, the opposition intends to frame the 2027 election as a referendum on the pace of economic development and the direct financial well being of the citizens. For the incumbent administration, the remaining period of the term must focus on visible translation. The governance strategy will need to ensure that road networks translate into smoother commerce, that healthcare investments yield lower mortality rates, and that large scale transport projects progress beyond initial planning stages into viable economic assets.
The critical arguments raised by political opponents regarding accountability and the efficacy of public spending will undoubtedly persist until the ballots are cast. Governor Otu’s political survival will depend on maintaining party cohesion, managing the state’s economic challenges, and ensuring that the electorate genuinely feels the impact of the People First policies.
Ultimately, the durability of the current administration’s record will be determined by the citizens themselves. In Cross River State, as is the case across the national political landscape, an administration does not write its own final evaluation. The definitive assessment will be delivered by the voters at the polling units, stretching from the riverine communities of Bakassi to the mountainous regions of Obanliku in 2027.
