Big Brother Naija Season 7 winner, Josephina Otabor, popularly known as Phyna, and members of the National Association of Bloggers have mobilised support for the second-term bid of Bassey Otu, Cross River State Governor, and his Deputy, Peter Odey, staging a one-million-man march in Calabar at the weekend in endorsement of the administration ahead of the 2027 governorship election.
The mobilisation, organised under the auspices of the Grassroots Initiative for Otu/Odey and led by the President of the National Association of Bloggers, Prince Imonikhe, followed what the organisers described as an independent assessment of the administration’s performance.
The group said its decision to endorse the Otu/Odey ticket was informed by what its members personally saw and experienced in the state, rather than by government-sponsored publicity or political persuasion.
Addressing the gathering, Imonikhe said the initiative deliberately undertook its own assessment of the government because its members wanted to establish whether the positive reports about the administration were consistent with realities on the ground.
‘We came here to see for ourselves. We did not want to depend on what anybody was telling us. We wanted to come privately, look at the projects, interact with the people and determine whether the things being said about Cross River were actually happening,’ he said.
According to him, he had earlier visited the state privately with members of his team before the mobilisation, adding that their observations during the visit changed their perception of the administration.
‘What we saw was beyond our expectations. We came with an open mind, but what we met on ground was impressive. We saw developments that speak directly to the people, and we felt that when a government is doing something commendable, people should have the courage to say so,’ Imonikhe stated.
He said the Cross River State Library was one of the facilities that particularly impressed the delegation, describing it as a manifestation of the government’s commitment to education and the future of young people.
‘When we visited the library, we were impressed. You could see that somebody had thought about the students and the future of the children of Cross River State. This is the kind of intervention that should be encouraged and replicated,’ he said.
Imonikhe maintained that the endorsement was therefore not merely a political declaration but a product of what he described as the group’s interaction with the state and its people.
‘We are here to appreciate what we have seen. We are also here to encourage the government to do more. Our message is simple: where a government is working, let us acknowledge it; where it is not working, let us point it out. That is the responsibility of responsible citizens,’ he added.
Phyna, who joined the initiative after discussions with Imonikhe about developments in Cross River, said her first visit to the state had given her a fresh perspective about the administration.
‘I have never been to Cross River before, and coming here for the first time, I was actually surprised by what I saw,’ she said.
According to the reality television star, the journey from the airport into Calabar immediately caught her attention, particularly the condition of the roads and the level of street lighting.
‘From the airport coming into Calabar, I saw the roads and the street lights. I was like, okay, something is actually happening here. And when I started speaking with people and hearing from residents, it made me understand that the things I was seeing were not just for show,’ Phyna said.
She urged Nigerians to develop a culture of celebrating positive developments instead of concentrating exclusively on criticism of public officials.
‘I believe we should all come together and also appreciate the governments that are working, so that people know there are governments and governors that still work in this country,’ she said.
Phyna added that recognising good performance should not be interpreted as abandoning accountability, stressing that public officials should be encouraged when their efforts produce tangible benefits for the people.
Receiving the endorsement, Deputy Governor Peter Odey described the one-million-man mobilisation as significant because, according to him, it was coming from individuals who had undertaken their own assessment of the state.
‘What makes this endorsement particularly significant is that it did not originate from government. These are people who came here, looked around and made their own assessment. They have seen what we are doing and have chosen, on their own, to identify with the administration,’ Odey said.
He said Governor Otu’s administration was founded on a people-first philosophy, explaining that government had deliberately directed its resources towards projects and programmes capable of improving the living conditions of Cross Riverians.
‘Our philosophy is very simple: government must work for the people. Every project we undertake, every intervention we make and every policy we introduce must ultimately answer the question: how does this improve the life of the ordinary Cross Riverian?’ he stated.
Odey cited the administration’s extensive road construction programme, interventions across Local Government Areas, developments at the Marina Resort and projects in Ogoja, Obudu, Odukpani, Ikom and other parts of the state as evidence of its commitment to balanced development.
‘We are not developing only Calabar. We are taking development to Ogoja, to Obudu, to Odukpani, to Ikom and to other communities. Cross River belongs to all of us, and our development agenda must therefore be inclusive,’ he said.
On security, the Deputy Governor said the administration had strengthened the security architecture of the state, creating a safer environment for residents, businesses and visitors.
‘We know that no meaningful development can take place where people do not feel safe. That is why security has remained a major priority of this administration. We are creating an environment where our people can sleep with their eyes closed and investors can come into Cross River with confidence,’ Odey said.
He also spoke on the administration’s efforts to improve air connectivity, saying the state had acquired more aircraft to boost flights into Calabar, while work was progressing on the Obudu Cargo Airport.
‘Our air connectivity is improving. We have acquired more aircraft to boost flights to Calabar, and we are also advancing work on the Obudu Cargo Airport. Our objective is to make it possible for people to move directly from Lagos and Abuja to Obudu, while opening up the northern part of the state to greater economic opportunities,’ he said.
Odey commended bloggers and influencers for their growing influence in shaping public discourse, but challenged them to deploy their platforms responsibly.
‘You have enormous power in your hands. With one post, one story or one video, you can influence public opinion. That power must therefore come with responsibility,’ he admonished.
He urged them to distinguish between legitimate criticism and deliberate misinformation, warning against what he described as ‘falsehood, insults, gossip and politically motivated attacks.’
‘We welcome criticism. In fact, criticism helps government to improve. But criticism must be based on facts. We should not deliberately manufacture falsehood, insult people or circulate gossip simply because we disagree politically,’ Odey said.
He added: ‘If you see something that is wrong, tell us. If you see something that needs correction, point it out. But let us not destroy the fabric of our society by promoting lies and hatred. Responsible journalism and responsible blogging will always serve the public better.’
The Deputy Governor further appealed to the bloggers and influencers to return to Cross River in December for Carnival Calabar, assuring them that the state was preparing an edition that would surpass previous celebrations.
‘Come back in December. Come with your cameras, come with your phones, come with your followers and come and experience Carnival Calabar,’ Odey said. ‘We are preparing what we believe will be our best carnival yet, and we want you to be part of it.’
He said the administration would continue to pursue programmes capable of placing Cross River on the national and international map, while insisting that the ultimate measure of its success would remain the wellbeing of the people.
The one-million-man mobilisation, coming months after the governor secured the endorsement of his party for a second term, has added a fresh layer of grassroots visibility to the Otu/Odey campaign, with the organisers insisting that their support is rooted in what they described as visible development and the administration’s growing profile across the state.
For the organisers, the message from Calabar was unmistakable: where development is visible and governance produces tangible results, citizens and influential voices should not hesitate to acknowledge it. The Otu/Odey campaign, they said, now has an expanded coalition of bloggers, influencers and grassroots supporters as the state begins to look towards the 2027 political contest.