Cross River State Governor, Senator Bassey Otu, has warned that the state will not be handed over to political novices in 2027, declaring that aspirants must prove their antecedents before seeking to lead.

Governor Otu gave the warning over the weekend on his return to Calabar from national engagements. He was received at the Margaret Ekpo International Airport by APC members, supporters and well-wishers.

Speaking against the backdrop of early political permutations, the Governor said Cross River had outgrown “trial and error” leadership.

“The state is not for experiment. We have gone past that,” Otu declared.
“Every relationship we have gone, we have had antecedents. We cannot play with the future of Cross Riverians anymore. So if you want to come out, let us see your antecedents. Let us see what you have done. You cannot just wake up from anywhere and jump into the contest.”

The Governor said his administration had in the last three years laid a solid foundation for a productive state. He attributed the progress to sacrifice and “divine intervention.”

“What we have done in the space of three years is something that a lot of people marvel… it is by divine intervention,” he said.

He noted that his government came in with a mandate to restore the state, reviving moribund assets that were lost over the years, expanding the economic base, increasing GDP and touching all major development sectors.

Acknowledging current challenges, Otu said: “Forward ever, backward never. Nothing can take us back. Cross River is headed for the next level.”

On the national economy, the Governor commended President Bola Tinubu for ongoing reforms, citing the alignment of Nigeria’s three major international credit rating agencies as proof of progress.

He however stressed that the goal was for reforms to “trickle down” to ordinary Nigerians, assuring that Cross River would key into emerging opportunities.

Otu also appealed to APC members to be patient on appointments. “Everybody cannot be a billionaire at the same time. We cannot all hold positions at the same time. But what I want to assure you is that it will go around, and it will touch everyone.”

He urged supporters to focus on grassroots engagement rather than social media noise.
“Remember, the thing is not social media. It is how you relate with people, and this is People First Government,” he said.