Speaker of the Cross River State House of Assembly, Rt. Hon. Elvert Ayambem, has said the move to recover state assets is not a mission of vendetta but in the interest of the state.

Ayambem gave the assurance during a chat with journalists in Abuja, where he debunked rumour making the rounds that the leadership of the State Assembly is on revenge mission on perceived individuals in the previous administrations.

He said, “What the State Assembly is doing in the assets recovery committee, is not vendetta. No. No person is on any personal vendetta. I tell you this on good authority.

“Well for me and the 10th assembly members, we are a purposeful assembly as we christened the assembly, Peoples Assembly. What would benefit the citizens of Cross River State, we would do regardless of who we are stepping on and I am urging Cross Riverians to stay true to Cross River State, to believe in the leadership of the Governor, His Excellency Sen Prince Bassey Edet Otu, because we’ve not had it this good.”

The speaker however commended Governor Bassey Otu for his management of resources, curbing of waste and delivering purposeful leadership to the people of Cross River State.

He also acknowledged the immediate past Governor of the State, Prof Ben Ayade for moving the state’s political structure to the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) adding that the decision is favouring the state’s development.

Ayambem said the APC family is determined to ensure the party retains political leadership in the state.

He said: “If we had not moved to the APC, Cross River State wouldn’t have been blessed with a Governor like Senator Bassey Otu. I give it to the former Governor, Sen Prof Ben Ayade then because moving to the APC is like leaving Manchester United for Wiki Tourists.

“As at then you know how scattered APC was, and in the 9th Assembly I was the last to move to the APC because I wasn’t sure, the uncertainties then was too obvious whether we are going to make any headway.

“But I must give it to the then Governor, because he tried to have navigated that water and brought everybody back to the APC. Though lots of members of the PDP left for the APC, lots more stayed back.

That was why you see that the election was keenly contested in 2023. In the North Jarigbe swept everywhere except members from Obudu.

“Also I think God has a hand in that transition, moving from the PDP to APC, because if we had stayed in PDP, we wouldn’t have been blessed with the kind of Governor we have now. So I see that part to be God’s orchestration.

“Today, Calabar that we all know now has zero potholes. And I can tell you authoritatively that Governor Bassey Otu is delivering purposeful leadership in Cross River State.”