Continuity: A Promise Well Understood
Reflectively, when His Excellency, the Governor of Cross River State, Senator Prince Bassey Edet Otu, was crisscrossing the length and breadth of the State, canvassing for gubernatorial votes, he eloquently promised to continue with the legacy of his predecessor, Senator Prof. Ben Ayade.
Clearly, this promise of his, did not go down well with many Cross Riverians. Sadly, by that time many citizens of the State had lost faith in Governor Ben Ayade’s government. Given this backdrop, for His Excellency to maintain that he will continue with what they largely rated as governance miscarriage, was like shouting at his foot. That promise was seen as an extension of nightmares. The big question then was: what was worth to be continued with? And as such, many resolved never to cast their votes for Prince Otu. At the same time, some tried to give him some benefits of the doubt. They reasoned that it maybe the Prince was trying to sound nice and harmless, in order to enjoy the leverage of incumbency, a formidable joker in Nigerian politics.
Against all odds, the Prince recorded a massive victory in that election. He prevailed, majorly, as a result of the wide popularity and acceptance he commanded across the State. This was in defiance of the held out thoughts, by some, which were paralleled to his political ambition. One year after becoming the Governor of Cross River State, one is inquisitive to objectively and empirically x-ray Senator Prince Bassey Edet Otu's administration visà-vis his continuity promise.
Apparently, Governor Otu has boldly continued to build on some of the policies and projects he inherited, not only from his predecessor, but all others. Prior to His Excellency’s tenure, so much of the State lean resources have been sunk into so many things. Therefore, he appears to be of the belief that it would be unwise and of monumental loss to the State to abandon those policies and projects that were founded on lofty ideas. So he has resolved to continue with them as government is a continuum, with a finish in view. Projects in this category include: The Deep Seaport, Obudu Cargo Airport, and Obudu Cattle Ranch Resort. In another breath, His Excellency has discontinued with (reversal or outright stoppage) some inherited policies and actions, which in his conviction should not have been so in the fi rst place. In this category include efforts to regain lost State assets or believed to have been wrongly sold to private hands, e.g Tinapa, Oban Plantation, Akamkpa Rubber Plantation etc.
The marks of his departure from the past policies and actions are also visible in the restoration of some denied entitlements in the State Public Service, wholesale renewal of socioeconomic infrastructural, etc. In the light of the foregoing, one would understand and can safely conclude that the continuity the Governor promised Cross Riverians, as a gubernatorial candidate then, was a selective continuity, based on what he believes is in the best and overall interest of the State.
Bassey E. Bassey
Bassey E. Bassey is the Director of Ministry of Finance Incorporated (MOFI)
