By Onwa Ekor, Calabar
Following the successful conduct of the local government elections in Cross River which saw the All Progressive Congress (APC) candidates clinching all the 18 chairmanship and 196 councillorship positions across the state, the governor, Prince Bassey Otu, has sworn in the council chief executives and their vice into office.
The event took place at the Dan Archibong lodge temporary office of the governor, in Calabar, the Cross River capital, attracting the deputy governor, Rt. Hon Peter Odey, members of the National Assembly, state lawmakers, commissioners, traditional institution and party faithful, among others.
Among the newly inaugurated council chairmen were three females representing Bekwarra, Boki and Ikom local government areas, while six female vice chairmen of Akamkpa, Calabar South, Bakassi, Obanliku, Obudu and Odukpani local government areas, also took oath of office.
Addressing the councils new chief executives, Otu admonished them to manage the common wealth of the state for the general good of the people, noting that, only there lies the essence of true democracy and good governance.
His words: “As the closest tier of government to the people, the core mandate of every local government council is to bring a new lease of life to rural dwellers, the accomplishment of this task shall be a great joy for the huge confidence the electorates repose in you and a revelation of the capacity to deliver on your campaign promises.
“As you are going to your different local governments, it is the people first, it must be your people first. We want to see the difference in the shortest possible time, your people must be able to feel the impact that actually they have a chairman, if not so, there might be some issues because it is only the aggregate performance of all of us, local, state and federal governments together, that of course will make a difference as far as Cross River is concerned,” the governor charged.
He further enjoined them to be proactive in office in order to change the condition and welfare of those at the grassroot levels which they superintend.
“Chairmen, as you are coming in, ask your commissioners, it is sleepless nights. There is no time to sleep, when you want to sleep, probably it would be in many years to come when you die and go to the graveyard and sleep, but for long as you are still agile and moving, there is no time to sleep.
“CrossRiverians, we are in the roads and that road is for time. We have lost time and it is very clear that even in this day and time, we run faster than what we used to do. It waits for no one, when that time has past you can not again return the hands of the clock, so it is gone. So, from day one, I want you to take up the challenge that we must deliver,” Otu advised.
The governor who went memory lane on the legitimacy of the third tier of government explained that, “the existence of local government as a third tier of government is provided in Section 7(1), of the 1999 Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, as amended and its financial autonomy affirmed by the Supreme Court of Nigeria on July 11, 2024,” reasoning that, “we expect local government Chief Executives to derive their legitimacy from the Constitution just like their federal and state governments counterparts.”
For those aggrieved by the outcome of the election, Otu appealed to them to let go, as the mistakes would be sorted out in order to get the state on a proper pedestal.
“Whenever there is a contest it is one person that would win. I want to appeal to all that whatever it is, wherever we made mistakes, we should be pardoned, we will make amends, we will sit down as a family, sit as a people and then sort out this problem,” the governor said, adding that, “we are sorry where we have made mistakes, we will correct it and Cross River must move forward.”
Earlier, the Secretary to the State Government, Prof Anthony Owan-Enoh, in his remarks affirmed that the event was imperative considering that the federal system of government was originally built on a tripod but in the past months, only depended on two stands.
According to Owan-Enoh, “we have gone to the field, we have come back with results believing that patriotism of course supersede our personal emotions and interests.”
The SSG further remarked that the newly sworn in chairmen and vice who distinguished themselves over the years to offer the state name, character and conduct, would take the struggle of the ‘People First’ agenda to the grassroots in order to fulfill the promises earlier made by the governor in his desperate move to properly propel the state to eldorado, while leaving a lasting legacy for the citizenry.
Responding on behalf of the local governments Chief Executives, the Chairman of Obudu, Peter Undiandeye, assured that they would work with the people as the center of the agenda, knowing fully well the relevance of the masses in grassroots governance.
