Cross River APC Stakeholders Cry Out Over Otu's Delay In Constituting Cabinet
By Dominic OKOH
Some stakeholders of Cross River Sate All Progressives Congress ( APC) have cried out over Governor Bassey Otu's delay in constituting his cabinet one month after assumption of office.
Otu had so far appointed the Secretary to the State Government (SSG), Chief of Staff, Chief of Protocol, security aides and media team just as he has constitued some committees to give direction to the administration.
But stakeholders are getting agitated at what they described as slow pace of appointments, saying they had expected the new government to hit the ground running.
A stakeholder from the central senatorial district, who gave his name as Ntufam Gabriel Etta, said they are somewhat worried that more than 30 days after taking over the mantle of leadership the new administration is yet to submit names of commissioner nominees to the House of Assembly for approval.
Etta said he had expected the Governor to roll off immediately and constitute his cabinet to enable him take some policy decisions and responsibilities that demand Executive Council approval and for smooth running of government.
According to him, "the politicians that worked are waiting eagerly for appointments to be part of the government they worked to emerge. We are already salivating and cannot wait to be part of it."
Another stakeholder, Chief Edward Abange, from Yala local government area in northern senatorial district, said the Governor has not acted contrary to the law in terms of constituting the cabinet, but he should not wait till the last days because the electorate have already started counting days for him.
Abange said as a former Reps member and a Senator, he has enough experience to get things started in full swing without dilly-dallying like his predecessor who took almost six months to set up his cabinet, adding that the party has men and women of proven integrity and have the capacity to deliver on mandate for the administration.
Speaking also, a member of the APC state executive committee, who doesn't want to be quoted said: "Honestly, the Governor is somewhat slow in the area of releasing names of appointees especially those to form the cabinet. It should have been a priority because there is a lot of work to be done that would need executive approval.
"I can tell you in confidence that the House of Assembly has approved the Governor's request for 40 Special Advisers. But they may not be appointed soon because of some certain intrigues and the rot he met on ground. In any case, Cross Riverians want to see things happening and moving on to reposition our polity and economy."
Meanwhile, the Governor has directed the party to send names of party members for appointments.
Based on such directive, the state chairman, Barr. Alphonsus Ogar Eba, in a statement signed by the publicity secretary, Erasmus Ekpang, has directed all party ward executives, ward leaders and major stakeholders of the party to submit 20 names per ward to be considered for empowerment and appointment at state and national levels.
According to the statement, "such names must contain ten males and ten females who worked sincerely for the victory of the party in the Presidential, Senatorial, House of Representatives, governorship and state assembly elections.
"Such nominees must also show evidence of their results at polling units and will be finally considered by the party in consonance with the party's "Monkey-work-onkey-chop mantra."
