The guber candidate of the ruling All Progressives Congress, APC in Cross River has been conferred with a chieftaincy title by the traditional rulers council of a local government in the southern senatorial district of the state NEGROIDHAVEN can report.
Akpabuyo Traditional Rulers Council, led by the Paramount Ruler, Etinyin Ekpenyong Edet Nya has conferred a chieftaincy title of UWANA AKPABUYO on the APC gubernatorial candidate in Cross River state, Ntufam Sen. Prince Bassey Edet Otu.
The event took place in Akpabuyo LGA when Sen. Otu visited the LGA as part of his consultation and Thank You Tour across the state.
APC Cross River guber candidate, Sen. Prince Bassey ‘Sweet Prince’ Otu arrives Akpabuyo as part of his itinerary for his ‘Thank You Tour’. pic.twitter.com/KyerEgmztH
— NEGROID HAVEN (@NegroidHaven) September 14, 2022
The consultation and thank you train of the All Progressives Congress gubernatorial candidate in Cross River, Sen Prince Bassey Edet Otu, which toured Bakassi and Akpabuyo LGAs of the state as part of his tour itinerary of the Southern Senatorial District saw Sen. Otu meeting with traditional rulers council of the LGAs where he was welcomed by the paramount rulers and received blessings from the royal fathers.
In his speech, paramount ruler of Bakassi, HRM Etinyin Etim Okon Edet, while welcoming the governorship hopeful, assured him of their support and prayers, insisting that the goodwill of Sen. Otu is known to all Cross Riverians: ‘You don’t tell us what to do in your matter, we know what to do, you don’t need to bother yourself’.
Also speaking, His Highness Effiom U. Bassey, a member of Bakassi Traditional Council said ‘We know that in 1999 when democracy returned, Government started from the South and went to central and proceeded to the North, after the expiration of the North, equity demands that it returns to the South. In Bakassi, we are fully committed to Sen. Otu’s aspiration because it reflects justice and fairness’, he said.
In her address, Dame Sen. Florence Ita Giwa said Sen. Otu’s understanding of issues facing Bakassi and his involvement in the Bakassi struggle makes him best suited to lead the State: ‘This crowd you are seeing here is a desperate crowd, these are people who have suffered for so many years. But they are here because you represent hope to them. You are the only lawmaker whose struggle about the Bakassi issue in the national Assembly is visible and documented. You are the only one that understands the situation of Bakassi and for us it is either Prince Otu or no other one else’.
At the reception, Sen. Otu said it was necessary to return to thank the people of Bakassi and Akpabuyo LGAs for their support during the APC gubernatorial primaries held in Calabar few months ago. ‘let me thank you, my dear delegates for standing behind me during the primaries. Your choice was borne out of your conviction and confidence in me even without any inducement. Thank you is not enough, I’m humbled, grateful and in your debt. Together we will build a peaceful and prosperous Cross River’.
In his entourage were his wife, Mrs Eyoanwan Bassey Otu, the Deputy Governorship candidate, Rt. Hon. Peter Odey, the leadership of the APC in the state, led by the State Chairman Barr. Alphonsus Eba and members of the State working committee, Director General of his campaign organisation H.E. Amb. Soni Abang, Chief Peter Ojie, Hon. Julius Okpotu, High Chief Edem Duke, Sen. Victor Ndoma Egba, Ntufam Fidelis Ugbo, Bishop Alex Ukam, among other critical stakeholders.
Recall that Otu was similarly decorated as ‘Ntufam’ in Etung LGA by the traditional rulers council during his thank you tour of the central senatorial district of the state few weeks ago.