Ahead 2027 general elections, political stakeholders in Bakassi Local Government Area, Cross River, have declared their support for the re-election of President Bola Tinubu and Governor Bassey Otu.
The stakeholders, comprising former and serving political office holders, as well as elected representatives and government appointees, made the declaration during a stakeholders’ meeting held on Friday in Bakassi.
The meeting reviewed developments in the area and the prospects of the All Progressives Congress (APC) ahead of the elections.
The engagement commenced at the APC Chapter Secretariat before the stakeholders proceeded to the Local Government Area Secretariat, where they met with the Chairman, Hon. Effiong Etim Okon, other political leaders, appointees and workers.
Speaking during the meeting, the protem leader of the Bakassi Elders’ Forum and former Deputy Speaker of the Cross River State House of Assembly, Hon. Patrick Antigha Ene, said the support for President Tinubu and Governor Otu was informed by what the visible interventions and the renewed prospects of development in the area.
Ene particularly cited the Federal Government’s support for the Bakassi Deep Seaport, noting that the project had reached a stage where stakeholders were awaiting the formal announcement of the flag-off date.
He also highlighted the Lagos-Calabar Coastal Highway as a critical infrastructure project that would provide an evacuation corridor for the proposed seaport, describing the combination of the two projects as capable of transforming the economic fortunes of Bakassi and Cross River State.
According to him, the process of restoring Cross River State’s littoral status and its recognition as an oil-producing state, with the support of the Federal Government and the administration of Governor Otu, was also at an advanced stage.
“The restoration of our littoral status and the Deep Seaport will have far-reaching economic implications for our people. These are developments that can change the economic narrative of Bakassi and Cross River State,” Ene said.
The stakeholders also commended the security situation in Bakassi, saying the improvement had created a more conducive environment for residents, businesses and potential investors.
Speaking on the development, the Chairman of Bakassi Local Government Area, Hon. Effiong Etim Okon, said the improved security situation had significantly changed the atmosphere in the local government, noting that investors and residents were no longer compelled to leave the area because of fear.
“Investors and residents no longer flee out of fear. The council is also able to carry out its operations without the kind of interference from hoodlums that we experienced in the past,” Okon said.
The Council Chairman further pledged to lead the stakeholders on a tour of project sites across the local government to enable them assess ongoing interventions and other development projects firsthand.
A member of the Cross River State House of Assembly also outlined constituency projects and empowerment initiatives being implemented to improve the welfare and economic opportunities of constituents.
The stakeholders said their position was based on the development they had witnessed and the renewed hope among the people of Bakassi, particularly following years of displacement and developmental challenges.
