By Abasi Ita
A coalition of civil society organisations in Cross River State has called on Governor Bassey Otu to resist moves to accord former Governor Ben Ayade public recognition and instead support a full probe of his administration.
Operating under the umbrella of the Coalition of Civic Societies on Accountability and Good Governance, the group urged the governor not to undermine the growing credibility of his administration by granting what they described as “undue political rehabilitation” to the former governor.
In a statement issued in Calabar on Friday and signed by the Coordinator, Agaba Vincent, and Secretary, Odey Odey, with Raymond Agabi as spokesperson, the coalition said a civic reception for Ayade would amount to rewarding poor performance and show insensitivity to citizens still suffering the impact of abandoned projects.
“Former Governor Ben Ayade should face a comprehensive probe, not a civic reception,” the statement read. “Cross Riverians are still paying the price for uncompleted and non-functional projects that consumed enormous public funds.”
The coalition informed Governor Otu and the leadership of the All Progressives Congress that several projects initiated by the former administration did not deliver value to the state and therefore require accountability.
They listed a number of high-profile initiatives that either remain incomplete or inactive despite substantial mobilisation of funds. These include the proposed 275-kilometre Superhighway, the Bakassi Deep Seaport, Calapharm Pharmaceutical Factory, the Obudu Cargo Airport, the Rice City and the Rice Seedlings Factory, which they claimed operated briefly with rented equipment before shutting down.
Other projects mentioned were the Coconut Refinery, Banana Plantation and Processing Plant, the Cocoa Processing Factory in Ikom, the Calachika Chicken Processing Plant, the foreign-affiliated university in Obudu, multiple Independent Power Plant schemes, as well as the Ukelle Road and the Boki–Obudu Road projects.
The group alleged that major road contracts were awarded to proxy companies and later abandoned, leaving the roads impassable and crippling commerce and transportation across affected communities.
According to the coalition, many of the projects were heavily promoted through media publicity and political fanfare, creating an impression of industrial advancement that has not translated into measurable economic benefit for citizens.
“This is not about politics. It is about justice and accountability,” the spokesperson said. “If the former governor believes his hands are clean, then a probe should not worry him. He should be willing to clear his name.”
Public sentiments, the coalition added, have remained critical of the former administration. They noted that many Cross River residents at home and in the diaspora have expressed disappointment, accusing the previous government of prioritising personal branding and publicity stunts over service delivery.
They tasked the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission and the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission to act on multiple petitions and review the funding of abandoned projects.
The coalition further urged the Cross River State House of Assembly to initiate a legislative review of the financial records and project implementation under the former administration, warning that silence from institutions of accountability would amount to complicity.
They also called on Governor Otu to uphold transparency and prioritise reviving abandoned projects that are economically viable in order to protect public funds and rebuild trust.
“Governor Otu has taken steps to restore confidence in governance. However, that goodwill must not be eroded by rewarding failure. No government can move forward while covering up the errors of the past. Accountability is the first step to rebuilding trust,” the coalition added.
The group maintained that a probe would help recover wasted funds, discourage misuse of public resources in future, and restore citizens’ confidence in government.