How Councillors Handpicked by Local Government Chairmen Misrepresent Welfare While Earning Millions and Failing Their Wards
Recent publications and viral articles have attempted to portray a narrative of systemic neglect within Cross River State under the leadership of Governor Senator Prince Bassey Edet Otu. Two key pieces, one anonymous and another involving Chief Okoi Obono-Obla, claim that councillors across the 18 Local Government Areas are aggrieved, alleging a lack of welfare, inclusion, and support. A careful analysis, however, reveals a distorted and misleading picture that does not reflect the reality on the ground.
First, it is important to note that over 95% of the current councillors were handpicked by their respective Local Government Chairmen, without contesting elections or demonstrating prior commitment to the party. These are individuals who, until their names were announced, were largely unknown in their wards and had no record of working for the APC. Meanwhile, party faithfuls who genuinely contested elections, invested personal resources, and mobilised support were sidelined, subverted, and even undermined by these same handpicked councillors. The so-called honourable councillors must come with clean hands to claim equity. Despite this, these councillors audaciously claim marginalisation and attempt to portray themselves as victims.
Second, the allegations regarding salaries and legislative votes are deliberately misleading. While they claim a monthly salary of ₦190,000, this does not include their legislative vote allocations, which under Governor Otu’s administration amount to ₦7,000,000 per councillor per month. This is a massive increase compared to previous administrations, where Council Legislative Arrangements received only ₦1,000,000 to share among themselves. Despite receiving these entitlements, these councillors continue to misrepresent their welfare to the public while failing to deliver tangible benefits to their wards. A financial comparison shows that these councillors now earn more than the total legislative arrangements of their predecessors combined, although their wards see little to no impact.
Regarding official vehicles, it is true that only leaders of the council have received theirs, while the remainder are being carefully coordinated by Governor Otu to ensure fairness and proper distribution. Claims that councillors are entirely neglected ignore the broader context. Under Governor Otu, the state is reclaiming assets sold or privatised by predecessors, clearing debts, and restoring fiscal order, all necessary groundwork before full distribution of resources can be completed.
The narrative of exclusion from political processes is equally flawed. The Commissioner for Local Government Affairs, Chief Victor Felix Idem, acts in accordance with Governor Otu’s directives, ensuring proper governance. He is not an independent actor and operates under the supervision of the Governor. Allegations that he is politicising welfare are baseless. Chief Victor Felix Idem ensured that councillors received their full legislative votes directly, resisting attempts by some Local Government Chairmen to receive the funds themselves while councillors were being paid. His commitment has preserved the integrity of the payment process.
Further, councillors have failed to utilise established platforms for collective action. The Councillors Forum, with its appointed chairman, secretary, and officers, provides a legitimate avenue for airing grievances and coordinating with the government. Instead, these councillors chose anonymity and indirect channels, undermining transparency and accountability.
In terms of performance, the record is glaring. For two years, many councillors have been largely inactive in their wards, engaging primarily in self-enrichment and creating divisions among ward party faithfuls. Constituency projects remain largely unexecuted, offices are underutilised, and legislative engagement has been minimal. The only notable action by some councillors has been an attempt to remove sitting Local Government Chairmen, a move that reflects personal interests rather than public service. Reports indicate that some councillors manipulate Polling Unit Management Committees, misrepresenting loyalty and overriding genuine party structures to consolidate power for personal gain. If a recall process were initiated, over 90% of these councillors would lose their positions due to widespread dissatisfaction.
State stakeholders across Cross River have openly expressed disapproval of the councillors’ actions, calling for their recall in their respective wards. They condemn the councillors’ attempts to misrepresent their welfare while failing to serve their constituents and undermining progress within the party. These stakeholders stress that the wards must be represented by individuals who are committed, accountable, and genuinely invested in grassroots development.
The broader achievements of Governor Senator Prince Bassey Otu over the past two years deserve recognition. Under his leadership, Cross River State has maintained relative peace and security, infrastructure development has accelerated, state-owned debts are being cleared, and governance processes have been strengthened to benefit citizens. These accomplishments provide the context within which councillor welfare must be understood. Any claims of neglect ignore these substantial state-wide efforts.
The attempts to frame the governor and his commissioner as negligent are disingenuous. These handpicked councillors, most of whom have never contested an election or genuinely mobilised party support, are misrepresenting reality to protect their interests. Their grievances, largely self-serving, undermine the party, sow discord, and erode public trust. The wards deserve better representation from committed leaders, not opportunists.
Governor Senator Prince Bassey Otu and his administration remain committed to rewarding genuine loyalty, promoting inclusivity, and sustaining peace and progress across Cross River State. Any attempts to distort this narrative will be met with scrutiny and factual counterarguments.
The stakes are clear. They sit, they earn, but their wards feel nothing. Ward party faithfuls are watching closely, and the state stakeholders have made it clear that accountability is non-negotiable, while several efforts were made to comfirm this report from the CPS to the Governor all prove abortive as of the time of the press.
This report was written and copied by Engr Edet Ekpenyong.
