‘Tinubu will address it’ — Otu speaks on appointment of PDP member to NDDC board

Bassey Otu, governor of Cross River, says President Bola Tinubu will address the appointment of Asu Okang, a Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) member, to the board of the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC).

Tinubu, on Tuesday, appointed board members and a management team for the NDDC.

The APC in Cross River has since faulted the appointment of Okang, who is meant to represent the state on the commission’s board.

Addressing protesters in Calabar, the state capital, on Thursday, Otu said Cross River is the only state in the south-south that is under APC, hence should be in charge of the commission.

“We will not allow anybody to preside or sit on what is our own sovereignty,” Emmanuel Ogbeche, chief press secretary to Otu, quoted him as saying.

“We will never allow it. We are the only APC state in the south-south and if there is anybody to superintend the list, not just in Cross River State but in the South-South geopolitical zone, I believe that I have the mandate.

“We are not fighting anybody, but we want our rights, and I am here to assure you that Mr. President is going to look into the issue. We will not break the laws, but we want the right thing to be done.

“Mr President is an astute politician, accomplished technocrat. He is going to address this matter. He hates injustice; the people that worked and toiled will get their rightful positions and take the position of our rep in the NDDC.”

On his part, Effiong Nta Eke, a former mayor of Calabar municipality, said the appointment is not for the good of the Cross River people.

“We have come with tears in our eyes that the trajectory that has flared up very recently is not to the betterment of the people of Cross River particularly those that were all out to fight for the APC, the leading party in the state,” Eke said.

“We are asking for the right thing to be done.”