A Calabar-based cleric, Archbishop Josef Bassey, has stated that former Cross River State Governor, Prof. Ben Ayade, owes a debt of gratitude to the people of the Southern Senatorial District for ensuring his re-election for a second term.
According to the cleric, Ayade’s return for a second term was not automatic, as there were political plots to block it.
However, leaders and stakeholders from the Southern Senatorial District, concerned that a disruption of Ayade’s second term could affect their chances of reclaiming power, mobilised their political resources to ensure he completed eight years in office.
Archbishop Bassey made the revelation, Saturday, during an end-of-year media interaction in Calabar, where he insisted that Ayade did not “hand over” power to the South but that the district earned it through political sacrifice.
He rejected narratives suggesting otherwise, stressing that the South deliberately supported Ayade’s second term to preserve the state’s zoning arrangement and ensure a smooth return of power after 16 years.
“Without the intervention of leaders from the Southern Senatorial District, Ayade would likely have been a one-term governor,” he said.
“In fact, Ayade owes the South a thank you for not allowing him to end his tenure after one term.”
The cleric explained that Southern political leaders agreed to back Ayade’s re-election on the understanding that governorship power would rotate back to the district afterward.
Bassey also commended the administration of Governor Bassey Otu, describing it as inclusive and balanced.
He noted that the Northern Senatorial District had benefited significantly within the first two years of the current administration.
“In just two years, Governor Otu has done more for the North than what some previous administrations did in eight years,” he said.
He referenced comments attributed to leaders from the district, including Dr Julius Okputu, who reportedly acknowledged that infrastructural development in the North had improved more under Southern-led administrations.
The cleric urged politicians to refrain from actions capable of overheating the polity, particularly toward the end of the year, describing the period as one meant for reflection rather than political tension.
“This is a time for sober reflection and stock-taking, not for inciting one group against another or attempting to rewrite history,” he said.
He called on political actors to prioritise the collective interest of Cross River State above personal ambition, warning that distorted narratives could undermine unity and slow progress.
Ex-Gov Ayade owes Cross River South for winning second term — Cleric
Source: Ex-Gov Ayade owes Cross River South for winning second term — Cleric
