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The Akpanke representative appeals to Tinubu to appoint the C’riviana as a substantial minister
… while launching support to the administration of the OTU governor
By Raphael Ekpang
The representative of the Federal Electoral College of Obanliku/Obudu/Bekwarra in the room of representatives, Hon. Peter Akpanke, appealed to President Bola Ahmed Tinubu to consider the appointment of a cross -revived substantial minister of the Federal Republic of Nigeria. This followed the suspension of the former Minister of Humanitarian Affairs and the reduction of poverty, Dr. Betta Edu and the redistribution of Senator John Owan-Igen of the deceased Ministry of Sport as a substantial minister of the Ministry of Exchanges and Investments as Minister Junior.
Akpanke appealed during an interaction with Cross Rivers State Journalists Forum (Crossjof), Federal Capital Territory (FCT), the Scorecard team of the Abuja chapter led by its president Francisca Ogar Tuesday 5 August 2025.
He noticed that President Tinubu was Magnanimo to cross Rivers State when he appointed two substantial ministers from the beginning, but he wonders what went wrong, saying that in just two years the state that had two substantial ministers boasts barely
“When we entered, the president was Magnanimo for us, we had two substantial ministers: the Minister of Sport and the Minister of Humanitarian Affairs.
“However, it has taken place, we are still appeal to Mr. President to consider us. It is his prerogative to appoint anyone who wants, but we appeal to a substantial Cross River State minister. It is a collective appeal by all of us,” he said.
Basic journalists observe that there seems to be an invisible hand in the Tinubu Administration which is strongly against the C’Iriviani. Although the appointment of Hilliard Eta as president of the Board of Directors of the National Youth Service Corp (NYSC) Governing Council, but eight months later, has yet to be inaugurated.
Hon Akpanke also denounced the transfer of the Bakassi peninsula to Cameroon and the transfer of 76 oil wells to the state of Akwa Ibom, insisting on the fact that decisions have negatively influenced the growth of the state.
He claimed that the international sentence of the Court of Justice (ICJ) who sold Bakassi to Cameroon and the subsequent judgment of the Supreme Court that assigned oil wells to Akwa Ibom, were unjust for the Cross River people.
“Honestly, we are a very small state that struggles to survive. And then, from nowhere, they brought our oil wells and gave up Bakassi to Cameroon.
“Our other oil wells have been given to the state of Akwa Ibom. So, how do we want to survive? Nigeria must revisit and discuss this problem,” he said.
However, Hon. Akpanke has declared its full support for the efforts of the governor Bassey Otu and the National Assembly to seek compensation on the above.
“I am fully supporting what the governor is doing to resolve the matter. I also support what the national assembly is doing. The law cannot exist without exception, there must be mechanisms to solve these problems,” he said.
In the meantime, he asked for a judicial review of the matter, observing that the Supreme Court has, in the past, reversed for technical or constitutional reasons.
“Therefore, the Hague should reconsider his decision and see how to help cross River and Nigeria as a whole. We are very favorable to the Nigerian nation, we are patriotic, loyal and Nigerians.
While detaching his successes in the last two years in terms of actions and legislative representations, the politician born in Bendi -Banliku has noticed that he had done well in education, health, road buildings, facilitation of jobs and general strengthening to its components.
According to him, “in just two years in the National Assembly as the first timer, I moved a number of invoices and movements that will take the lead for my electoral college and Nigeria. Some of the movements and invoices include; rehabilitation of the resource of the Obudu dam, a motion against the incessant kidnapping in the neighborhoods of the University of Calabar. They brought a petition on some students who were illegally rusty by the bill to establish the Federal University of Agriculture, Bendi.
“We built and rehabilitated many schools, undertaking the construction of roads and the health center rehabilitated through, Utanga and Ketting a Obanliku; Ububa-Iye, Beten and Opepa in Bekwara and Begiaba, Uugewan and Kubung Bette in Odu LGA.”
On, although so much has been invested in Akpanke education he said: “Education is the foundation of any society. Without education, you cannot be sitting here to interview me. So, we must educate our young people,” he said.
He added that his political push is not only education but the general well -being of his people.
Meanwhile, Akpanke has expressed contentment of democracy in the dividends level, the governor of the state, senator Bassey Edet Otu is providing in the state within two years of the office and invited all the parties interested in joining him to advance Cross River State.
On the state creation proposal, he insisted on the fact that Ogoja is the oldest province in Nigeria and if the states must be created, then the state of Ogoja must be one of these, urging the C’Iriviani to ignore any false list on social media that claim that the state of Ogoja is not captured among the states to be created.
