The Cross River State Governor, Bassey Otu, has said that the growing wave of defections to the All Progressives Congress (APC) is driven by the performance of President Bola Tinubu, rather than mere political calculations.
Otu made this assertion on Monday during an official defection event, where he, alongside Vice President Senator Kashim Shettima and the National Chairman of the APC, Dr. Abdullahi Ganduje, formally received Delta State Governor Sheriff Oborevwori into the APC.
Governor Otu described Oborevwori’s defection as not just a political realignment but a thoughtful and courageous response to the aspirations for a better Delta State, a more prosperous Niger Delta, and a stronger Nigeria.
He noted that Cross River, which for years stood as the only APC-governed state in the South-South, now shares the progressive banner with Delta and Edo States, marking a new era of political realignment in the region.
“An increasing number of South-South states under APC governance is a dream realized,” Otu said, crediting President Tinubu’s leadership for inspiring trust, value reorientation, infrastructural development, and economic growth across the country.
Otu described the mass defection led by Governor Oborevwori — along with former Governor Senator Ifeanyi Okowa and key structures of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Delta — as “a historic moment” that would foster deeper regional collaboration, accelerated economic development, and greater political stability.
As Vice Chairman of the South-South Governors’ Forum, Otu urged Oborevwori and other new entrants into the APC to bring their experience and grassroots mobilization capacity to bear in advancing the collective goal of a flourishing South-South region and a renewed Nigeria.
“Your Excellency’s decision to board the progressive train is a profound testament to your commitment to inclusive governance, sustainable development, and national unity.
I am confident that your leadership will further galvanize our collective resolve to deliver the dividends of democracy and drive forward the Renewed Hope Agenda championed by President Bola Tinubu,” Otu said.
He concluded with a warm welcome to Oborevwori, expressing optimism about a strengthened partnership aimed at charting a new course for regional and national greatness.
