The governorship candidate of the African Democratic Congress, ADC, in Cross River State, Ambassador Nkoyo Toyo, has accused Governor Bassey Otu of wasting 16 years in public office without delivering tangible projects to the people.
Toyo, a former Nigerian ambassador to Ethiopia, made the allegation in an interview in Calabar while discussing her chances in next year’s governorship election and assessing Otu’s record in the National Assembly and as governor.
The ADC flagbearer challenged the governor to identify projects he initiated during his more than 12 years in the House of Representatives and Senate, as well as his tenure as governor.
“Otu should point to us any projects he had initiated throughout the period he was in the House of Representatives and in the upper chamber, the Senate, for over 12 years.
“Even in his local community in Odukpani Local Government Area, let him point to a project he has initiated and completed during his period as governor. Absolutely none! To me, Otu has only wasted these 16 years in public office,” she said.
Toyo also claimed that she had contested elections seven times and defeated Otu on two occasions.
However, the Special Adviser to Governor Otu on General Duties, Ekpenyong Akiba, rejected Toyo’s assessment, insisting that the governor had undertaken extensive empowerment programmes and constituency projects during his years in the National Assembly.
Akiba said no politician in Cross River State had carried out empowerment programmes on the scale undertaken by Otu during his time in the National Assembly.
“It’s an indisputable fact that Senator Otu started empowerment programmes for his constituents on a gargantuan magnitude never before undertaken by any other politician of that time. There are other projects he undertook in his constituency,” he said.
On Otu’s performance as governor, Akiba said the administration had deliberately prioritised the completion of projects abandoned by previous administrations and the recovery of state assets.
He listed road construction projects across the three senatorial districts, the refurbishment of public facilities, including the state library and government houses, as well as the settlement of state debts among the achievements of the administration.