The All Progressives Congress (APC) in Cross River State has thrown its full weight behind President Bola Ahmed Tinubu and Governor Bassey Otu for re-election in 2027, passing a formal vote of confidence on both leaders during a massive rally in Calabar.
The event, hosted at the U.J. Esuene Stadium on Thursday, served as both a grand reception and a “Thank You” rally, organised by the party’s Southern Senatorial District to celebrate what party leaders described as “remarkable leadership and performance” at both state and federal levels.
Speaking at the rally, Cross River APC Chairman Alphonsus Eba made the party’s position clear. “Based on the performance of the President and Governor Otu, we have passed a vote of confidence for their return in 2027,” Eba declared. “Any APC member who comes out to run for the Cross River governorship position against Otu in 2027 will be expelled from the party.”
The mood was celebratory but resolute, with high-ranking party officials warning against internal dissent and calling for unity ahead of the next general election cycle.
Senator Asuquo Ekpenyong, representing Cross River South, echoed the endorsement, citing Tinubu’s track record in Lagos and early efforts to reform Nigeria’s economy. “We supported Tinubu in 2022 because of his pedigree,” he said. “His reforms in Lagos made it the second-largest economy in Africa. Since becoming president, he has tackled the corrupt fuel subsidy regime and exchange rate distortions.”
Ekpenyong also praised Governor Otu for improving security and laying what he called “a solid economic foundation” for the state, noting that these achievements justify his endorsement for a second term.
In response, Governor Otu pledged continued service and loyalty to both the state and the President, promising that Cross River would deliver “at least 96 percent” of votes to Tinubu in 2027.
“From the moment I took office, we have focused on putting people first,” Otu said. “Today, we’ve improved our GDP, wiped out nearly all known criminal camps, and we’re pushing forward with the Bakassi Deep Seaport project—with the President’s commitment to dredge the Calabar Channel as part of it.”
He also extended an olive branch to remaining criminal elements, urging them to accept the state’s amnesty programme while vowing to eliminate the last vestiges of insecurity by the end of July.
The rally drew top political figures including Senator Florence Ita-Giwa and former Minister of Culture and Tourism, Edem Duke, underscoring the scale of political consensus within the state’s APC machinery.
With this public show of solidarity, the Cross River APC appears to be drawing a hard line: 2027 is not up for internal debate.
