By Bassey Arikpo
The People’s Democratic Party in Cross River State has criticised the administration of Governor Bassey Otu over what it described as poor performance and failure to deliver meaningful development projects nearly three years after assuming office.
In a verified post on his Facebook page, the Chairman of the PDP in the state, Barr. Venatius Ikem, berated the governor, describing the administration as “mediocrity wearing the garb of People First.”
Ikem alleged that the administration’s most prominent activities since inauguration had centred on social celebrations rather than governance and infrastructural development.
According to him, “It is remarkable that in three years, the highest points of Governor Prince Otu’s administration have not been the commissioning of any development project, but the celebration of his stepchildren’s marriages and, of course, Her Excellency’s birthday.”
He further claimed that such occasions had remained the only major events attracting top personalities to the state during the life of the administration.
The PDP chairman stated that the opposition party had compiled what he described as the administration’s scorecard and would soon present it to the people of the state ahead of the 2027 elections.
“We have the scorecard and we are polishing it for our people to be the judges,” he stated.
Ikem also condemned the government’s handling of recent protests over alleged medical neglect in state owned health facilities, accusing security agencies of using force against demonstrators.
According to him, “When our children die needlessly in avoidable accidents and they protest medical neglect from state medical facilities, the state government meets them with teargas and police brutality.”
The PDP chairman maintained that the party would continue to monitor developments in the state while holding the government accountable.
Political discussions in the state have also focused on concerns over the slow pace of ongoing projects and the non payment of inherited gratuity arrears despite increased statutory allocations and rising internally generated revenue.
There have also been speculations surrounding an alleged move to replace the member representing Akpabuyo, Bakassi and Calabar South Federal Constituency in the House of Representatives, Joseph Bassey, with the governor’s stepson, Edem Dominic, ahead of the 2027 elections.
As of the time of filing this report, the Cross River State Government had not issued any official response to the allegations raised by the opposition party.
