Vice-President Kashim Shettima has urged Cross River State residents to re-elect President Bola Tinubu and Governor Bassey Otu in 2027, citing major federal infrastructure and maritime projects expected to transform the state's economy.
Shettima made the appeal on Monday in Calabar while leading the All Progressives Congress presidential campaign train to the state, where he highlighted the Lagos-Calabar Coastal Highway, the proposed Bakassi Deep Seaport and the planned relocation of the Gulf of Guinea Commission Secretariat to Calabar as key benefits of Tinubu's administration.
Addressing a large crowd at the U.J. Esuene Stadium, the Vice-President described the APC as Cross River's most trustworthy political partner, saying the state had continued to support the ruling party despite what he called attempts to misrepresent the administration through propaganda.
"We have come to you again. We have come as the most trustworthy friends you can ever have. These are not empty words," he said.
Shettima said the relationship between the Federal Government and Cross River was built on progress, prosperity, opportunity and dignity, adding that the administration was seeking a renewed mandate based on its record.
He maintained that the Lagos-Calabar Coastal Highway would open up the state's coastal communities, improve transportation, boost tourism, attract investment and create thousands of jobs.
According to him, the highway is part of Tinubu's broader economic vision to position Cross River as a major beneficiary of Nigeria's infrastructure expansion.
On the proposed Bakassi Deep Seaport, Shettima confirmed that the Federal Government had approved the project, describing it as a potential international maritime gateway that would attract shipping companies, stimulate industrial development and generate employment.
He said the facility, when completed, would create significant economic opportunities for the state and strengthen its position in regional and international trade.
The Vice-President also disclosed plans to establish the Gulf of Guinea Commission Secretariat in Calabar, saying the development would increase Cross River's international profile and attract diplomatic, commercial and tourism activities.
He added that the National Education Loan Fund (NELFUND) was another example of Tinubu's commitment to improving access to education, noting that financial difficulties should not prevent young Nigerians from pursuing their academic ambitions.
"No parent should have to watch abilities of their kids surrender to shortage of money. So NELFUND is here for you," he said.
Shettima appealed to the electorate to support Tinubu, Otu and other APC candidates at the federal and state levels, including members of the National Assembly and the state House of Assembly.
He also urged residents to return Peter Odey as deputy governor alongside Otu, arguing that continuity would strengthen the administration's development agenda.
The Vice-President described the APC leadership as experienced and determined to move Nigeria towards greater prosperity, urging Cross River residents to support the party's programmes.
Governor Otu, in his address, declared his total support for Tinubu and Shettima, calling on residents to vote for the APC across all elective positions in 2027 to ensure seamless governance.
The governor said the state's support for Tinubu was driven by gratitude for the President's leadership and the economic opportunities his administration was creating.
He described Tinubu as a political giant, a nationalist and an architect of modern Lagos, arguing that his experience and ability to take difficult decisions made him the right person to lead Nigeria.
Otu said Tinubu had laid foundations for economic growth across agriculture, industry and the services sector, expressing confidence that the policies would create opportunities and improve the country's economic fortunes.
He also urged political stakeholders and residents to unite behind the President and the APC ahead of the next general election.
The governor's appeal was reinforced by the APC National Chairman, Prof. Nentawe Yilwatda, who described Tinubu as a transformer and agent of change, saying his record in Lagos demonstrated his capacity to reposition Nigeria.
Yilwatda said Tinubu remained the party's preferred candidate for 2027, citing his ambition to build a $1tn economy by 2030.
He identified the Bakassi Deep Seaport and Lagos-Calabar Coastal Highway as two major projects that would make Calabar a strategic centre of Nigeria's future economic growth.
According to him, the proposed seaport would serve as a major maritime gateway for Nigeria and landlocked countries, including Niger, Chad, Burkina Faso and the Central African Republic.
He said the port would be connected by rail to Port Harcourt, Kano and Maiduguri, while a proposed Trans-Saharan Highway would link Calabar through Ebonyi, Enugu, Benue, the Federal Capital Territory, Nasarawa, Plateau, Bauchi and Gombe to Maiduguri.
Yilwatda also described the Lagos-Calabar Coastal Highway as a major regional transport corridor, linking Cross River with Akwa Ibom, Rivers, Bayelsa, Ondo, Edo and Lagos, with connections towards Togo and Ghana.
He urged the Otu administration to prepare the state for the economic opportunities by investing in warehouses, small and medium-sized enterprises and industries that could support import and export activities.
He said such investments would create jobs, reduce poverty and enable local businesses to benefit from the anticipated growth in maritime trade.
The rally attracted supporters from all 18 local government areas of Cross River State.
Otu, who described the gathering as a renewal of the state's political covenant with Tinubu, declared that the APC would win all 18 local government areas in the 2027 elections.
The governor, who adopted the slogan '18 over 18', claimed the party was cheated in the 2023 elections when it secured victories in only seven local government areas, despite its alleged wider support across the state.
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