By Onwa Ekor
After a three week vacation, Cross River governor, Prince Bassey Otu and his wife, Bishop Eyoanwan Otu, Wednesday, arrived the state into a mammoth crowd who trooped in numbers to receive the first family, at the Margaret Ekpo International Airport, Calabar.
A white and maroon aircraft marked Rano Air 5N–BZW which conveyed the duo, touched down at exactly 13:25 hrs, while after some protocol and safety check, the governor and his wife alighted ten minutes after, precisely 13:35 hrs.
The symbolic arrival drew members of the State Executive Council, the legislators, All Progressive Congress (APC) party faithful, support groups, women and youth folds, local government functionaries, traditional dance troupes including carnival revellers, among others.
Addressing newsmen shortly after his arrival, the governor who thanked the crowd for such show of love displayed in coming to receive him and his wife, also disclosed the essence of his earlier trip outside the state.
According to Otu, “I was on national assignment, but I needed a break to just recharge and refill and I know that I am coming back with double doze of energy to make sure that we do far more than what we did before.”
The governor who revealed issues surrounding the two newly acquired aircrafts for the State said, during his trip he inspected the aircrafts, followed the constitutional processes and got subsequent approval.
“I believe that everything have been done, the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority have done theirs, what we are waiting for now since one of the aircraft is from Australia and the other Holland, in about two weeks both of them should finish their due diligence and we will have the aircraft on ground,” Otu explained.
On his recent national assignment in Anambra where he chaired the APC governorship primaries, Otu remarked that it would be great delight to get a third APC state in the Southeast, maintaining that such development would be for the future.
The governor who never hid the good attributes of CrossRiverians especially on tasks, missions and functions demanded of them, said “Cross River is noted for integrity and anywhere I am sent, no matter the level of rancour or any issue, I try to make sure that I bring everybody to the same page,” adding that, “it is no winner takes all because election is like a movement, however I have finished my own.”
Continuing, Otu remarked that the state under his watch is building a strong vibrant economy with agriculture as one of its main focus, admitting that not too long, the sector as well as other sectors would start yielding great feats.
“The Vice President will be here, the President of African Development Bank, Dr. Akinwumi Adesina will be here from today to launch the $538m special agro-industrial processing zone (SAPZ), we need to double our value chain and move on from where others stopped,” Otu said.
On her part, the governor’s wife, Bishop Eyoanwan Otu whose birthday is today, Thursday, April 10, said she is excited and thankful to God as it is only God that gives life, good health and the Grace to celebrate such wonderful leaps.
“God has done all that He knows how to do best, so I feel elated and most importantly the crowd here is overwhelming. We least expected this but all the same, it is fine and it means that CrossRiverians really missed us and we are back to them and back to work,” she said.
On her NGO which even during her absence still embarked on numerous projects aimed at ameliorating the hardships on vulnerable women and youths, the governor’s wife enthused, “their mother is back hence they should expect activities back to back, I also know that the women are going to be very happy because I am back to them.”
