By Magnus Effiong
The Minister of Sports Development, Senator John Owan-Enoh, has warned political jobbers against mounting pressure on him to contest the 2027 governorship elections in Cross River against the incumbent, Senator Bassey Otu, saying such pressure would not work as the Governor was doing very well for the State.
The Minister, who said this in Ikom, central Cross River, weekend, during a thanksgiving service in his honour, said “I will support Gov Otu to the end. Detractors I’m sorry to disappoint you. Anybody that comes out to contest against Otu by 2027 will have to contend with me first as I am standing solidly with Otu.”
Owan Enoh further noted that Governor Otu was demonstrating unparallel leadership within just few months in office, and added that when it was obvious that other state functions wouldn’t give the Governor a chance to attend the thanksgiving service in person, he sent the Deputy Governor and the secretary to the State Government to represent him.
He also called for more support for President Bola Tinubu, saying, “Asiwaju has the intellect and capacity to turn things around in Nigeria, let’s support him. If you support me, support the president and pray for him.”
He recalled that he took a chance with the then APC Presidential candidate, when Tinubu urged him to discontinue his post-governorship primaries litigation against the then governorship candidate, Otu.
“It was at a time nobody knew Tinubu would win but I took a chance and my supporters urged me to go and meet him and negotiate but I spoke to myself, that there’s no need to negotiate for anything. I didn’t border but I stopped the litigation and he said ‘John you honored me, God will honor you.’
” I thank him from the bottom of my heart. When I invited people for this event, I said it’s also to thank God for Asiwaju. He won the February 25th, 2023 presidential election, if it didn’t happen to him, this today wouldn’t happen to me. I’m grateful to God and President Tinubu,” he stated.
