Political leaders of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Cross River State, under the leadership of Governor Bassey Otu, have committed to rallying at least 1.5 million votes in support of President Bola Tinubu for the 2027 general elections.
The commitment was made during a high-level APC stakeholders’ meeting, convened by Governor Bassey Otu on Monday at the Calabar International Convention Centre in Cross River State.
A statement released to PUNCH Online on Wednesday revealed this development.
Present at the meeting were the immediate past APC National Women Leader and Minister, Dr. Betta Edu; members of the state’s National Assembly delegation; the Speaker of the Cross River State House of Assembly; party executives; representatives of youth and women groups; and other key stakeholders.
Speaking to the gathering, Governor Otu urged Tinubu to assist in reclaiming Cross River’s oil wells and restoring the state’s full littoral status.
He called on the Federal Government to use “verified reservoir coordinates and existing technical reports to validate the state’s claim to oil-producing status.”
The governor also “requested the restoration and increase of federal appointments for indigenes of the state to enable them benefit more directly from the administration’s Renewed Hope Agenda and strengthen grassroots mobilisation ahead of the 2027 general elections.”
He reiterated Cross River State’s support for the President’s policies, highlighting ongoing federal collaborations that have enhanced infrastructure development, including the Calabar-Lagos Coastal Highway.
Otu characterized the expanded meeting as a platform to commend APC members for their unity and support, while also preparing the party to mobilize effectively and secure victory in the upcoming elections.
The governor singled out Dr. Edu, praising her for her “steadfastness, comportment, and loyalty” to the party, the state, and the nation.
“We are happy you are back at the forefront as usual and in the state,” he said.
Speaking on the sidelines, Edu called for “intensified grassroots mobilisation, inclusive engagement, and sustained voter education ahead of 2027.”
She encouraged the people of Cross River State to remain loyal to Tinubu, expressing “confidence that the dividends of the Renewed Hope Agenda” would be felt by all, including residents of the state.
She further supported the governor’s appeal for presidential intervention to restore Cross River’s economic standing in the federation, its full littoral status, and recognition as an oil-producing state, following the discovery of more than 100 oil wells in the state’s estuary.
She emphasized that the next election cycle will demand serious, coordinated, and collaborative efforts across wards and local government areas to build on and consolidate the party’s previous successes.
“We must not leave anyone behind or leave anything to chance, so as to prevent past unwanted occurrences.
“My task is to ensure that we mobilise to deliver maximum votes to President Bola Ahmed Tinubu and my governor, His Excellency Senator Prince Bassey Edet Otu, come 2027,” she added.
Senators and members of the House of Representatives from the state also vowed to intensify mobilisation efforts within their constituencies, with the three senators representing Cross River speaking on behalf of their respective zones.
The stakeholders reaffirmed their commitment to securing what they called a decisive electoral mandate in 2027 for Tinubu, as well as Governor Otu’s second-term bid a reaffirmation of the party’s stance first expressed in May 2025.
Earlier on Monday, speaking at the state airport, Governor Otu stated that Cross River deserves fair treatment in the ongoing process of being relisted as an oil-producing state.
In a separate statement on the same day, Akwa Ibom State Attorney General and Commissioner for Justice, Uko Udom SAN, challenged media reports claiming that the 76 wells legally owned by the state, following two Supreme Court rulings, might be returned to Cross River State, insisting that no transfer has occurred.
