A Senior Special Assistant to Cross River State Governor, Senator Bassey Otu, Ms Phylo Odu, has accused local government chairmen across the state of mismanagement, nepotism and drifting away from grassroots governance.

In a statement issued on her social media handle, titled “Cross River’s LGA Chairmen Are Not Helping Otu’s Administration,” Odu alleged that many council bosses routinely complain of poor allocation, yet acquire new properties, administer their councils from Calabar and Abuja, and sideline qualified citizens in favor of cronies..

According to her, several chairmen have turned their councils into “family empires,” appointing unqualified relatives to sensitive roles while community infrastructure and local needs continue to deteriorate.

She also faulted those who cite a lack of funds but frequently travel to Abuja to receive “awards of excellence,” describing the trend as ironic and misleading.. Odu said the governor has provided clear leadership direction, but the performance of some local government heads falls short of the administration’s targets for grassroots development.

She called for reforms that prioritize competent, energetic, and community-rooted individuals as chairmen, rather than retirees or political placeholders..
But in a swift reaction, the Chairman of Yakurr Local Government Area and head of the Association of Local Governments of Nigeria (ALGON) in Cross River, Mr. Yibala Nyang, dismissed the allegations as unfounded.

Speaking in an interview, Nyang said local governments in the state still operate under the Joint Account Committee (JAC) system, which guides all financial decisions with the state government.

He insisted that the Otu administration has not withheld council funds.
Nyang criticised Odu for failing to conduct proper fact-finding, arguing that her generalisations misrepresent the work being done at the grassroots.

“I have 13 wards in my LGA and have executed projects in more than nine of them. I can provide evidence of visible achievements across my council,” he stated.

He urged government appointees to verify information before making public claims, warning that unsubstantiated accusations could fuel internal discord within the administration. “Local government chairmen are part of the same political family. We should not wash our dirty linen in public,” he added.

Nyang challenged the governor’s aide to present specific cases rather than broad allegations, saying performance should be assessed individually across the 18 local government areas.

Meanwhile, residents across the state remain divided over the performance of council chairmen, with opinions split on the level of development recorded under their watch.