Rep Akpanke Appeals to Tinubu to Appoint C’Riverian as Substantive Minister
…as he Throws Support to Gov. Otu’s Administration
By Raphael Ekpang
The representative of Obanliku/Obudu/Bekwarra Federal Constituency in the House of Representatives, Hon. Peter Akpanke, has appealed to President Bola Ahmed Tinubu to consider appointing a Crossriverian substantive minister of the federal republic of Nigeria. This followed the suspension of the former Minister of Humanitarian Affairs and Poverty Alleviation, Dr. Betta Edu and the redeployment of Senator John Owan-Eno from the defunct ministry of sports as a substantive minister to the ministry of trade and investment as a junior minister.
Akpanke made the appeal during an interaction with Cross Rivers State Journalists Forum (CROSSJOF), Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Abuja chapter’s scorecard team led by its chairperson Mrs. Francisca Ogar on Tuesday, August 5, 2025.
He noted that President Tinubu was magnanimous to Cross Rivers state when he appointed two substantive ministers from the inception, but wonders what has gone wrong, saying that in just two years the state which had two substantive ministers barely boasts of one
“When we came on board, the President was magnanimous to us, we had two substantive ministers: the Minister of Sports and the Minister of Humanitarian Affairs.
“However it played out, we are still appealing to Mr. President to consider us. It’s his prerogative to appoint whoever he wants, but we appeal for a substantive minister from Cross River State. It’s a collective appeal from all of us,” he said.
Core Reporters notes that there seems to be an unseen hand in Tinubu’s administration that is strongly against C’Riverians. Albeit, the appointment of Hilliard Eta as the board chairman of National Youth Service Corp (NYSC) governing council, but eight months after, he is yet to be inaugurated.
Hon Akpanke also decried the ceding of the Bakassi Peninsula to Cameroon and the transfer of 76 oil wells to Akwa Ibom State, insisting that the decisions have adversely affected the growth of the State.
He argued that the International Court of Justice (ICJ) ruling that ceded Bakassi to Cameroon, and the subsequent Supreme Court judgment awarding oil wells to Akwa Ibom, were unfair to the people of Cross River.
“Sincerely, we are a very small state struggling to survive. And then, from nowhere, they took our oil wells and ceded Bakassi to Cameroon.
“Our other oil wells were given to Akwa Ibom State. So, how do they want us to survive? Nigeria must revisit and discuss this issue,” he opined.
However, Hon. Akpanke declared his full support for efforts by Governor Bassey Otu and the National Assembly to seek redress on the aforementioned.
“I am in full support of what the governor is doing to resolve the matter. I also support what the National Assembly is doing. The law cannot exist without exceptions, there must be mechanisms to resolve such issues,” he said.
Meanwhile, he called for a judicial review of the matter, noting that the Supreme Court has, in the past, reversed itself on technical or constitutional grounds.
“So, the Hague should reconsider its decision and see how to help Cross River and Nigeria as a whole. We are very supportive of the Nigerian nation, we are patriotic, loyal, and committed Nigerians. We shouldn’t be punished for coming from a minority or from Cross River State,” he appealed.
While reeling out his achievements in the last two years in terms of legislative actions and representations, the soft spoken Bendi–Obanliku born politician noted he has done well in education, health, road constructions, facilitations of jobs and general empowerment to his constituents.
According to him, “In just two years in the national assembly as a first timer, I have moved quite a number of bills and motions that will benefit my constituency and Nigeria at large. Some of the motions and bills include; rehabilitation of Obudu Dam Resource, a motion against the incessant kidnapping in University of Calabar staff quarters, co-sponsored a motion on not ceding parts of Obanliku and Boki LGA to Cameroon, brought in a petition about some students who were illegally rusticated from UNICA and a bill to establish the federal university of agriculture, Bendi.
“we’ve built and rehabilitated a lot of schools, embarked on construction of roads and rehabilitated health centre across, Utanga and Ketting in Obanliku; Ububa-Iye, Beten, and Ubepa in Bekwara as well as Begiaba, Utugwan and Kubung Bette in Obudu LGA.”
On, while so much has been invested in education Akpanke said, “Education is the bedrock of any society. Without education, you cannot be sitting here interviewing me. So, we need to educate our young people”, he said.
He added that his policy thrust is not only education but the general wellbeing of his people.
Meanwhile, Akpanke expressed fulfillment on the level of dividends of democracy the state governor, Senator Bassey Edet Otu is providing in the state within two years in office, and he has called on all stakeholders to join hands with him to move Cross River state forward.
On the proposed creation of state, he insisted that Ogoja is the oldest province in Nigeria and if states are to be created, then Ogoja state must be one of them, urging C’Riverians to disregard any fake list on social media alleging that Ogoja State is not captured among states to be created.
