APC support group warns Gov Otu’s Chief of Staff not to overstep mandate

A major support organisation within the All Progressives Congress (APC), operating under the Emerging Progressives Leaders Forum (EPLF), has urged Cross River State Governor Bassey Otu to rein in his Chief of Staff, Dr. Emmanuel Ironbar, insisting the state’s citizens did not elect him to govern.

The group disclosed that it has been inundated with “Save Our Souls” messages from political appointees in the Otu administration who say the situation in government has become untenable.

In a statement issued Tuesday in Abuja, the group’s general secretary, Engr. Francis Bassey, said a wave of frustration is sweeping through the administration as top officials accuse the Chief of Staff of exerting an excessive and stifling hold over government operations.

According to Engr. Akpan, there is widespread anxiety within the government over fears that an unelected aide has effectively overridden the authority of constitutionally recognised officials, creating what he described as an environment of intimidation and stalled governance.

The statement reads: “The Chief of Staff to the Governor has accumulated unprecedented influence, sidelining Commissioners and diverting control of critical government functions into his own hands.

“He is not the Governor. There are complaints that appointees cannot access funds, execute projects, or even take basic decisions without his personal approval. They are tired and they need Governor Otu to take back control.

“The Chief of Staff is traditionally tasked with coordinating the governor’s schedule and staff, the situation in Cross River State is said to have gone far beyond acceptable limits. The report that the Chief of Staff now determines: Which ministries receive funding; Which programs move forward; Who gains or loses political relevance; Access to security and administrative approvals, are unacceptable.”

The forum stressed that Commissioners are legally empowered to run their ministries and should not operate under fear.

“Some claim they have been reduced to ‘begging’ the Chief of Staff for funds already appropriated for their ministries. A number of appointees described their tenure as one of humiliation, noting that lavish appearances mask a stark reality of dependency and pressure.

“What is happening in Cross River State is a systemic inversion of authority. Fear is governing, not policy.

“Governor Bassey Otu, who rode into office on the popular “People First” mantra, still enjoys wide public goodwill. Many in the administration remain loyal to him and are urging him to act before his legacy is permanently tainted.

“Silence now would mean he approves of what is happening. The people elected him—not the Chief of Staff. He must defend that mandate.”

The EPLF warned that failure to address the concerns could lead to an internal collapse of governance, saying: “There is only one elected Governor in Cross River State and we are begging him: Save us from the Chief of Staff before governance collapses.”

The group added that the coming weeks will be pivotal for the survival of the Otu administration and could shape the direction of democratic governance in Cross River State.