C’River APC Nominates Senator Otu as Consensus Guber Candidate
Bassey Inyang in Calabar
The All Progressives Congress (APC), in Cross River State has announced the emergence of Senator Bassey Otu as its consensus governorship candidate for the 2023 governorship elections.
A press release that was issued by the State Publicity Secretary of APC, Mr. Erasmus Ekpang, said that Otu was unanimously adopted by 17 other governorship aspirants who featured in a meeting that was presided by the Governor of Cross River State, Professor Ben Ayade.
The press release, which was titled “C’River 2023: Prince Otu is APC Consensus Guber candidate,” read as follows: “Ahead of the 2023 general elections, a leading gubernatorial aspirant, Senator Bassey Out, has emerged as the consensus candidate of the ruling APC in Cross River State.
“Otu is a former senator representing Southern Senatorial District of Cross River State.
“His emergence as a consensus governorship candidate was the unanimous decision by the 17 governorship aspirants and party critical stakeholders.
“The meeting, which was presided over by the state governor and leader of our great party, H.E Prof. Ben Ayade, had in attendance the APC State Chairman, Mr. Alphonsus Ogar Eba, other executive members and the 17 gubernatorial aspirants under the platform of the APC.
“The meeting of the party, which was held at the Transcorp Hilton Hotel in Abuja was a congenial political family meeting that resolved to donate power to Sen. Bassey Otu to fly the flag of the party as its gubernatorial candidate.
“The party expressed its sincere appreciation to the leader of our party, our chairman, all the governorship aspirants, critical stakeholders and members of our great party for arriving at this historic milestone and looks forward to robust primaries.”
Otu came to political limelight in 2003 when he was elected on the platform of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP), to represent Odukpani/Calabar Municipal Federal Constituency, a position he occupied until 2011 when he was elected senator representing Cross River South Senatorial District.
However, his attempt to return to the senate in 2015, and 2019 were unsuccessful following the defeats he suffered on both occasions in the hand of Mr. Gershom Bassey, currently a leading governorship aspirant of the PDP, and incumbent senator representing the senatorial district.
