Candidate of the Nigeria Democratic Congress, NDC, in Cross River State, John Upan Odey, has unveiled what can be termed his framework for the development of his state, a few days after he was affirmed the party’s candidate.
In a message to the people of Cross River, Odey said even though he was not a typical politician, his mission was to work towards the birth of a new Cross River, even as he promised to do things differently.
This is the speech, in part:
Today I stand before you humbled and determined as the Governorship Candidate of the Nigerian Democratic Congress for Cross River State. Our primary on 29 May 2026 wasn’t a victory for one man; it was a decision by the people to end the politics of division and to begin a season of real service.
I come not as a career politician but as a manager, a problem-solver, and a servant who has spent a lifetime building secure systems and delivering measurable results in the boardroom — skills that will be put to work for every local government, from Calabar Municipality to Bakassi, from Ikom to Ogoja.
To my fellow contestants — Barrister Edem Ekong and Engr. Mkpang Coco-Bassey — thank you for a spirited primary. The contest is finished; the task ahead is to win together and to hold power to real account for the people of Cross River. To the national leader of our great party, Distinguished Senator Henry Seriake Dickson CON, I say thank you! Thank you for rising up in defense of democracy when the political class had irresponsibly allowed a drift towards a one-party system.
You stood firm, unwavering and ensured that a viable new opposition is built on integrity, character and Service to the People. To our Presidential and Vice presidential candidate, H.E Peter Gregory Obi CON and H.E Rabi’u Musa Kwankaso CON , your courage and dedication to Nigeria is a beaming light for us all to follow… I am proud to stand with you.
To all members and aspiring members of our Great party across this great nation Nigeria and in the Diaspora. I say, lets roll up our sleeves and let us get to work!! I come to seek the face of every forgotten person and the names of the nameless in a system where no one will be left behind and we shall raise the tide for all to prosper and achieve their God given potentials.Our state is blessed — rich soil, scenic tourism sites, deep cultural heritage, and hardworking people — but for too long those resources have not translated into broad prosperity. Roads rot between markets and farms, our tourism assets are underused, youth unemployment remains high, communal land disputes displace families, and public finances are strained.
For decades, we have been told that governance is the exclusive reserve of career politicians. We have been told that the youth are the leaders of tomorrow so we should wait our turn while our infrastructure crumbles, our tourism capital loses its glory, and our economic potential lies dormant in the soil. We are not waiting any longer.
We are here today, we are ready to take our place today, and the time is now! We must bring a full stop to the divisive politics and decay in our beloved Cross Rivers. We will restore the glory of Cross River as a leader amongst the committee of States in Nigeria.
They will come to you in the days ahead and try to divide us. They will ask you: “Is he from the North? Is he from the South? Is he from the Central?” They use these regional divisions to keep us fighting over crumbs while they share the main harvest.
Let them hear me clearly today: No North. No South. No Central. We are ONE Cross River State. Hunger does not know zoning. A broken road does not care about your local government area. High unemployment affects the youth in Calabar just as heavily as it affects the youth in Ogoja and Ikom. We are putting Cross River First, period.
Let others try to divide you with regional or petty labels. We will meet those distractions with unity, firm plans, and everyday results. We will not allow our people to be content with crumbs while the harvest is shared by a few. And to the incredible youth of Cross River State: I hear you. I see your hustle.
I know your frustration. You have been treated as campaign tools and social media praise-singers for too long. This campaign belongs to you. We are building an economy where your brilliant minds can thrive in tech, agriculture, business, and global opportunities. Your anger at the old system is completely valid. Your demand for a competent leader is legitimate. BUT I will also ask much from you: Your energy, your creativity, and your courage. Young people, join our policy labs and ward teams so you design the programs you will run. Help us map the real challenges in your LGA and test our pilot projects. This is how you move from social media voice to policy power.
What I promise is not slogans but practical, deliverable plans: • Jobs and skills. We will launch a Cross River Youth Employment & Skills Program that pairs training in tech, tourism, agribusiness, and creative industries with apprenticeships and startup seed grants concentrated in all 18 LGAs. This will be focused on market-driven skills so certification leads to work within the state and to opportunities beyond. • Agriculture and value chains. We will prioritize smallholder farmers with inputs, storage, and processing centers, so cocoa, cassava, vegetables and livestock earn higher returns in local processing hubs — starting with pilot hubs in Ogoja, Ikom and Obubra. • Tourism revival.
We will revive and modernize marquee tourism assets — from the Calabar Carnival and waterfront precincts to eco-tourism in the highlands and Obudu linkages — with security, local enterprise participation, and clear public–private partnership models. • Roads and connectivity. Immediate prioritization of rural feeder roads, critical inter-LGA linkages, and regular maintenance schedules so markets and hospitals become reliably reachable for all communities. • Peace and local conflict resolution. Where communal disputes threaten lives and livelihoods — like the recurring crises between Ikom and Obubra communities — we will strengthen impartial boundary demarcation, fast-track peace committees, and support palliatives and resettlement where needed. We will back local leaders with state support to prevent violence and protect farmers. • Fiscal responsibility and transparency.
We will run a government that spends within its means, prioritizes people-first projects, and opens budgets so citizens can track how revenue is used. The era of opaque deals and vanity projects ends here. • Healthcare & education access. We will restore and equip primary health centers, expand youth mental-health services, and upgrade technical schools so young Cross Riverians can train locally and build businesses here.
This campaign is a call to work — not for the title, but for the State. Let us take this movement to every street, every ward, and every village in Cross River. Tell the world the wait is over: a new Cross River is possible — one that rewards hard work, protects the vulnerable, and gives our youth dignity through opportunity. Tell them the wait is over. A NEW CROSS RIVER IS POssible! A NEW NIGERIA IS POssible!! God bless the Nigeria Democratic Congress. God bless Cross River State. God bless the Federal Republic of Nigeria Thank you – now let’s get to work!
