A Calabar-based cleric, Archbishop Josef Bassey, has asserted that former Cross River State Governor, Professor Ben Ayade, owes a deep sense of gratitude to the people of the Southern Senatorial District for ensuring his return for a second term in office, describing the feat as neither automatic nor politically guaranteed.

Speaking during an end-of-year media interaction in Calabar on Saturday, the cleric maintained that Ayade’s second term was the product of deliberate political sacrifice by leaders and stakeholders from the Southern Senatorial District, rather than an act of goodwill from the former governor himself.

According to Akahi News, Archbishop Bassey stated that there were strong political undercurrents and strategic efforts aimed at preventing Ayade from securing a second term, but that the South intervened to protect its long-term political interest.

Southern Support and Political Calculations

The cleric explained that political leaders from the Southern Senatorial District consciously rallied behind Ayade’s re-election bid, despite internal disagreements, to preserve the state’s zoning balance and guarantee a return of power to the South after eight years.

“Without the intervention of leaders from the Southern Senatorial District, Ayade would likely have been a one-term governor,” Bassey said. “In fact, he owes the South a thank you for not allowing him to end his tenure after one term.”

He stressed that the decision was not driven by personal loyalty but by strategic foresight, noting that many Southern leaders believed disrupting Ayade’s second term could permanently weaken the zoning arrangement that has guided power rotation in Cross River State.

Akahi News gathered that political consultations at the time were intense, with stakeholders calculating the long-term implications of abandoning zoning principles that had helped maintain relative balance across the state’s three senatorial districts.

“Power Was Earned, Not Handed Over”

Archbishop Bassey firmly rejected narratives suggesting that the Southern Senatorial District merely benefited from Ayade’s benevolence after his tenure. According to him, the district earned its return to power through sacrifice, patience, and political discipline.

“He did not hand over power to the South. The South earned it,” the cleric insisted. “There was a clear understanding that if the South supported his second term, the governorship would rotate back after 16 years.”

He warned against attempts to rewrite recent political history, arguing that such narratives could inflame tensions and distort public understanding of the state’s political evolution.

Commendation for Governor Bassey Otu’s Administration

Turning to the current administration, Archbishop Bassey commended Governor Bassey Otu for what he described as an inclusive and balanced style of governance. He noted that, contrary to divisive rhetoric, the Northern Senatorial District has benefited significantly under the present government.

“In just two years, Governor Otu has done more for the North than what some previous administrations did in eight years,” he said.

The cleric referenced remarks attributed to respected leaders from the North, including Dr Julius Okputu, who reportedly acknowledged that infrastructural development and government presence in the district had improved more under Southern-led administrations.

According to Akahi News, these comments have added fresh dimensions to the ongoing discourse around equity, fairness, and political representation in Cross River State.

Call for Restraint and Responsible Politics

Archbishop Bassey also used the occasion to caution political actors against actions capable of overheating the polity, particularly towards the end of the year when emotions often run high.

“This is a time for sober reflection and stock-taking, not for inciting one group against another or attempting to rewrite history,” he warned.

He urged leaders and political stakeholders to place the collective interest of Cross River State above personal ambition, stressing that divisive narratives could slow development and weaken unity across the state.

According to Akahi News, the cleric concluded by calling for maturity, truthfulness, and historical honesty in political discourse, noting that sustainable progress can only be achieved when leaders acknowledge past sacrifices and work together for the common good.

Akahi News www.akahinews.org