The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) governorship candidate in Cross River State, Sir Arthur Javis Archibong, has accused Governor Bassey Otu of running an “absentee government”, alleging that the governor spends most of his time outside the state.

Archibong, who spoke during a press conference  yesterday at the NUJ Press Centre in Calabar, said he had refrained from publicly criticising the administration in the last three years to give the governor enough time to demonstrate his capacity to govern and implement his development agenda.

He, however, said with less than a year remaining in Otu’s first-term tenure, he could no longer remain silent over what he described as the administration’s failure to meet the expectations of Cross Riverians.

The PDP candidate alleged that available records showed that Otu rarely spent more than 10 days in the state in a month, with the rest of the time spent in Abuja or abroad.

According to him, the governor’s absence had created a situation where governance was increasingly left in the hands of officials who were not elected by the people, resulting in poor decision-making and what he described as “rudderlessness” in the administration.

Archibong also accused the administration of concentrating development in Calabar, alleging that the governor had paid insufficient attention to communities in the Central and Northern senatorial districts.

He further criticised the administration for allegedly failing to deliver a major signature project almost four years into its tenure, saying much of its attention had been directed towards renovating projects inherited from previous administrations.

Archibong cited the refurbishment of the library complex, governor’s office and local government building, as well as the renovation of the cultural centre and some road projects, as examples of projects he said could not constitute a clear signature project for the administration.

He also alleged that rural poverty had worsened under the administration, blaming what he described as the lack of effective programmes for rural development and the alleged failure of local governments to function independently.

The PDP candidate further alleged lopsidedness in appointments and contracts, accusing the administration of nepotism and preferential access to government opportunities.

Archibong, who also criticised what he described as attempts to suppress dissent, said Cross Riverians should not be intimidated from speaking about issues affecting the state.

He contrasted his criticism of the administration with his pledge to run a government that would be physically present across the state if elected in 2027.

Archibong promised to serve for only four years, saying he would not seek to extend his tenure beyond what he described as the agreed political arrangement.

He also pledged to restore local government financial autonomy, ensure equitable development across the three senatorial districts and prioritise competence over political loyalty in government appointments and contracts.

“I will not be an absentee governor. I will be constantly available to the people and only travel outside of the state very rarely and only to attend to obviously critical affairs that usher verifiable development to the state,” he said.

Archibong said his administration, if elected, would focus on sustainable wealth creation and ensure that all local governments and ethnic groups had a place in the state’s development agenda.