C’River Rep member dumps PDP, drums support for Otu, Tinubu

A member of the House of Representatives, Peter Akpanke, from Cross River State, has dumped the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), lauded the performance of Governor Bassey Otu of Cross River State, and President Bola Tinubu and mobilizing support for their second term aspirations.

Akpanke, representing Obudu/Obanliku/Bekwarra Federal Constituency in the House of Representatives, at a press conference by the Cross River APC caucus in the National Assembly (NASS) in Calabar on Friday noted that the sterling performances by both Otu and Tinubu were glaring and necessitated his decision to support them.

The lawmaker who recently defected to the APC bemoaned the irreconcilable crisis in the PDP,  saying, “I am up and in support of anything that will move the state and nation forward.”

Senator Williams Eteng, chairman of the caucus, said that though elections were still two years away, their decision for the early endorsements was for the governor and President to concentrate on governance.

Eteng noted that the duo have enthroned good governance at the state and federal level and would need the support of all to continue with their good work.

“We are here to endorse our governor and our president. Our governor has done well and deserve our accolades.

“Today we are not mixing words; we are going straight to the point. We start with mr President who has also done well.

“He is a father to us at the national; we have seen all the things he has done and still doing, especially the Lagos-Calabar coastal road.

“For that reason alone, we endorse him for second term so that that road will be completed. We are also enjoying the student loan, various ongoing infrastructural projects and completed ones across the country.

“There is also what we call the shake-up in the Nigeria oil and gas industry that is going through remarkable reforms; it takes a man with a big heart and courage like Mr President to do that.

“For this reason and many more, we are endorsing him (President) to be the sole candidate of APC

in the next coming election,  if it is possible we don’t think any other party should, as a matter of fact put up anybody for the poll,” he said.

Speaking further, Eteng, representing Cross River Central Senatorial District, said governor Otu’s performance within two years in office was mind blowing.

He said that the governor’s developmental strides were visible to all across the 18 local government areas of the state.

He noted that Otu did not only saw to the completion of several abandoned projects, but also executing new ones that would have direct impact on the people.

According to him, today alone, what we’ve seen is enough for us to go home and sleep and say Otu should continue this good work.

“If he can achieve this within just two years, only God knows what he will do before he completes his first tenure.

“We are happy with the transformation in government house, library, local government service commission. He has projects in all local government areas of the state.

“For this, we in the NASS are saying our governor and his deputy don’t need to be stressed, they have done well, and they deserve to continue.

“From what we have seen, if they continue in the next six months, Cross River and indeed Nigeria will be a place for investment destination.” (NAN)