A people-first approach to governance is about prioritizing the well-being of the people and making them the main focus of government by ensuring that decisions taken are in their interests. It begins by trying to have a very clear understanding of what the people’s problems are, and looking for ways to find solutions.
Code For America, a US-based non-profit organization that promotes good governance and the idea of putting people first believes “Government must be responsive to the people it serves. This means it has to be accessible, available, simple, interactive, and human. Government decision-makers must develop a deep understanding of the needs of the people the government serves, and prioritize those needs over all else. Government services should solve a complete problem for people, and meet them where they are in life.”
In an overview of his people-first manifesto prior to the 2023 Cross River State governorship election, Governor Bassey Otu had said: “We need to change the narrative that our State is a purely civil service State, by repositioning our People to take advantage of our peculiarities in carving a niche for ourselves in a competitive world driven by modern technologies and practices. We will create a niche for our farmers, young entrepreneurs, our children as well as the elderly to work smart and achieve their set goals seamlessly. We will create an enabling environment for everyone to have the chance to excel in their areas of endeavour.
“We have gone to every part of our dear State, and have listened to the concerns of our people. Based on these concerns, we know that our people want an enabling environment for businesses to thrive on, our people want value for our agricultural produce, our people want access to markets, our people want qualitative education and healthcare systems, our people want a State where our commerce and industries have a chance to boom, our people want to have the glory and beauty of our State restored, our people want to live a life of dignity and honour, our people want a State where they can move about without harassment by criminal elements, our people want a State where the Government takes security as a serious business and top priority, our people want a safe State where there will be no instances of kidnapping and threats to lives and properties.
“Our people want to live in peace, pursuing their legitimate businesses, and have access to needed infrastructure and social services. Our people want a true, innovative and smart Government.
“I am contesting on the platform of the All Progressive Congress (APC), and I see our people in Cross River State as being entitled to the benefits that only progressive good governance can procure.”
Since his assumption of office on May 29, 2023 as Governor of Cross River State, after his landslide victory at the polls, Senator (Prince) Bassey Otu, is believed to have demonstrated that indeed he has a full grasp of the needs of the people he was elected to serve. With his adoption of the people-centred approach to leadership to fulfil his campaign promises as were contained in his People-First manifesto, he is seen to be working diligently to provide remedies to the problems and challenges confronting the state.
In the words of Narendra Modi, current Prime Minister of India, “Good Governance cannot remain mainly a philosophy. Concrete steps have to be taken for realizing its goals.” Determined to offer good governance targeted at bettering the lives of the people, the governor is believed to have exhibited the Nolan Principles of Selflessness, Integrity, Objectivity, Accountability, Openness, Honesty and Leadership, propounded as key features that should guide public office holders, by the Committee on Standards in Public Life (CSPL), an advisory body of the United Kingdom (UK) Government, set up in 1994 by the then Prime Minister, John Major.
In the views of many, Otu’s people-first agenda designed to bring about the reinvigoration of Cross River’s economy for the benefit of Cross Riverians, has already started yielding fruitful results. The citizens of the state are said to be feeling the impact of the governor’s developmental strides just within a year and three months in office through his people-first governance approach.
As it is said that a goldfish has no hidden place, Otu, a calm, gentle, unassuming and humane politician, who doesn’t seem to make too much noise about his accomplishments, was selected for the prestigious Michael Okpara Leadership Prize in the Gold Plaque award category for ‘Excellence in Governance, Service with Integrity’. It was presented to him on August 22, at the 2024 Michael Okpara Leadership Lecture and Award, organized by Michael Okpara Foundation and Verbatim Media Group in Abuja.
According to the organizers, Otu netted the award as a result of his “integrity in public service policy and good governance leadership style, which has brought widespread infrastructural development and accountability in resource management, in line with Dr Okpara’s template.” Clearly, the Gold Plaque award category is specifically reserved for outstanding and exceptional leaders like the late Okpara, Premier of the old Eastern Nigeria (1959 – 1966) who adopted a people-first governance model that helped him to entrench peace and unity, create mass employment, and revolutionize agriculture, education, infrastructure development, commerce and industry across the states of the region at that time.
The esteemed leadership award has been widely hailed and described as a well-deserved recognition for a man, whose commitment and determination to transform and rebuild Cross River to regain it lost glory has remained unflinching and resolute. Governor Otu, in the thinking of observers, has aligned himself with the vision and legacies of the late former Premier, from the level of infrastructural development being carried out, the revolution embarked upon in agriculture and other sectors of Cross River’s economy.
Hon Edo Owan, a grassroots politician and APC stalwart, is the former Councillor of Akparabong ward aspiring for Ikom local government chairmanship seat. He sees Otu as having lived up to expectation in putting the people first to actualize his people-centric agenda which has earned him accolades from within and outside the state.
His words: “In the run up to the 2023 general elections, the Governor of Cross River State, Senator Prince Bassey Edet Otu came up with the ‘People’s First’ Mantra which he has demonstrated in the last one year and in Office.
“Potholes in Calabar and environs have disappeared, the release of 10 billion naira for payment of gratuity to retirees who have been owed for years, the repositioning of the Civil service and ongoing recruitment of new civil servants. His Agricultural programs are such that will make the state self-sufficient and export oriented.
“His relationship with the opposition is top notch. He maintains that we are first of all Cross Riverians before becoming partisan and so must all contribute to the Cross River Project.
“Through his amiable and supportive Wife, Reverend Mrs Eyoawan Bassey Otu, he has reconnected the state to God and indeed the season of Sweetness is everywhere.
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“It did not come as a surprise that the Governor was noticed by the larger Nigeria and awarded the prestigious Michael Okpara Leadership Award which is just one in the pack.”
An academic don with the University of Cross River State (UNICROSS), Dr. Cassius A. Ogar, said Otu has demonstrated quintessential leadership that has endeared him to Cross Riverians.
Dr Ogar, the Head of Department of Entrepreneurship Studies in the Faculty of Management and Social Sciences, noted that “The governor is carrying the entire Local Government Areas in the state along in his administration. If you travel across the state, from North to South and to Central where I come from, you will see laudable people-oriented projects that are ongoing.
“The governor has been performing. He is rehabilitating roads in different parts of the state. His administration has been about ameliorating the sufferings of the people he is serving. His people-first governance style has been excellent. As a compassionate and God-fearing leader who means well for Cross Riverians, Prince Otu has approved the payment of the backlog of gratuities and pensions in billions of naira. This was never the case in the past. For years retirees were left to languish in pain after 35 years of service, due to non-payment of gratuities. Prince Otu came and in his kind-hearted nature vowed that such will not happen under his watch. And as we speak, the process to fulfil that promise has commenced in earnest.
“Quite frankly, the welfare of the people has been paramount in his administration since he came on board as Cross River helmsman. He runs an all-inclusive government, giving a sense of belonging to everyone – indigenes and non-indigenes, Christians and Muslims alike. Traditional rulers, religious leaders, different stakeholders and the entire residents of Cross River are being carried along, regardless of party affiliations. His appointments are spread across the various parts of the state. The three senatorial districts have benefited from Otu’s government in terms of appointments and project execution. The governor has ensured an equitable distribution of state resources across the senatorial zones.
“Also, Prince Otu is very much at home with youths in the state. He has demonstrated that he is indeed a youth-friendly governor. Youths are engaged in his government. He has launched different empowerment programmes meant to battle youths’ unemployment and promote self-reliance. Cross Riverians are happy and pleased with his people-first leadership.”
The Special Adviser to the governor on General Duties, Barrister Ekpenyong Akiba, remarked: “His Excellency, Senator Bassey Otu can be said to be an embodiment of transformational leadership in modern day democracy, a leveler in the delivery of democratic dividends to the people. He has distinguished himself in service to the people, and as a reliable politician who never fails in the fulfilment of his promise to the people. He has made governance democratic by ensuring that all he does is for the benefit of the people.
“He has distinguished himself in terms of integrity, simplicity and sincerity. What our amiable governor is doing in agriculture, health, education and other areas of the state’s economy are landmark achievements that will outlive his administration, just as the late Dr. Michael Okpara.
“The symbolic Michael Okpara Leadership Prize granted to Senator Otu, the people-first leader, for good governance, is highly merited. His nature of putting people first and penchant for performance in public office didn’t start when he became governor. Before now, he has made very valuable contributions to nation building and societal advancement.
“As House of Representatives Committee Chairman on Petroleum Resources (Upstream), he sponsored the Bill that birthed the Nigerian Content Development Act which greatly helped in revolutionizing the petroleum industry for the good of the country. It was he who worked on the draft amendment bill that saw to the repositioning of the Petroleum Technology Development Fund (PTDF) as a potent vehicle for development in the oil and gas industry. At the Red Chamber, as Senate Committee Chairman on Finance, and later Banking & other Financial Institutions, Senator Otu equally sponsored bills that made significant impact on Nigeria’s banking reforms.
“Throughout his 12-year stay in the National Assembly (House, 2003 – 2011 and Senate, 2011 – 2015), he became known as the father of empowerment on account of his ability and desire to attract projects and programmes that have direct bearing on the people of his constituency. So, his public life has always been about putting the people first.”
Barrister Akiba who has been a long-time aide to the governor right from when he was in the House of Reps, added: “I must say that I feel privileged and blessed to work with a man that I would say he is God’s gift to the people of Cross River. For me, I feel he is a blessing from God to us. I am happy to work under him. I am a better person today because of the mentorship I have received from him. He is one man that would want to always see everyone happy. He believes in a society where all can live in peace. He believes in equal opportunity for all. Senator Otu is a bridge builder and a great hero.”
The Director General (DG) of Progressives Governors Forum (PGF), Mr. Folorunso Aluko, in a piece, revealed how the Information Commissioners of APC States passed a vote of confidence in Governor Otu for his people-first approach to governance at its two-day strategy meeting held in Calabar, of which he was in attendance.
He explained that the decision for the vote of confidence was taken after the APC Info Commissioners and the PGF team went round to behold some of the impactful projects initiated by the governor since he assumed office.
In the words of the PGF DG, “Governor Bassey Otu’s administration has shown an unwavering commitment to the welfare of the people of Cross River State, both in the formal and informal sectors. His policies are inclusive, aiming to uplift every segment of society and ensure that all residents benefit from the state’s development initiatives. This inclusive approach has fostered a sense of unity and shared purpose among the people, who remain steadfast in their support for his administration.
“After witnessing the impressive array of projects and hearing directly from the people, the PGF Programme Team and Honourable Commissioners of Information of APC-controlled States unanimously passed a vote of confidence in Governor Otu’s government. They commended his sterling leadership and remarkable performance, recognizing his efforts in steering Cross River State towards greater heights of prosperity and development.”
Michael Jegede, a journalist, writes from the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Abuja.
