Political leaders in Cross River State have resolved to mobilise no fewer than 1.5 million votes for President Bola Ahmed Tinubu in the 2027 general elections.

The resolution was reached on Monday at a high-level stakeholders’ meeting of the All Progressives Congress (APC) convened by Governor Bassey Otu at the Calabar International Convention Centre.

The meeting brought together key party figures, including former APC National Women Leader and minister, Betta Edu; members of the National Assembly from the state; the Speaker of the Cross River State House of Assembly; party executives; as well as youth and women leaders.

Addressing the gathering, Governor Otu appealed to President Tinubu to support the reclamation of Cross River’s oil wells and the restoration of its full littoral status. He urged the Federal Government to rely on verified reservoir coordinates and existing technical reports to validate the state’s oil-producing claims.

The governor also called for increased federal appointments for Cross River indigenes, noting that broader inclusion would enhance the state’s participation in the administration’s Renewed Hope Agenda and strengthen grassroots mobilisation ahead of the 2027 polls.

Otu reaffirmed Cross River’s alignment with the President’s policies, citing federal partnerships that have boosted infrastructure development in the state, including the Calabar–Lagos Coastal Highway. He described the meeting as an opportunity to consolidate party unity and prepare APC structures for electoral success.

He commended Betta Edu for her “steadfastness, loyalty and commitment” to the party and the state, welcoming her renewed engagement at the grassroots.

Speaking on the sidelines of the meeting, Edu called for intensified mobilisation, inclusive engagement and sustained voter education across wards and local government areas ahead of the next election cycle. She urged residents to maintain their support for President Tinubu, expressing confidence that the benefits of the Renewed Hope Agenda would be felt across the state.

Edu also backed the governor’s call for presidential intervention to restore Cross River’s economic standing, including its littoral and oil-producing status, following reported discoveries of over 100 oil wells in the state’s estuary.

Senators and members of the House of Representatives from Cross River pledged to strengthen mobilisation efforts in their constituencies, reaffirming the party’s commitment to delivering what they described as a decisive mandate for President Tinubu and Governor Otu’s second-term bid in 2027.