In a move that sent shockwaves through the corridors of power, Cross River State Governor, Senator (Prince) Bassey Edet Otu, has pulled the plug on the Board of the Local Government Service Commission, citing “serious abuse of office and cheating” in the recently conducted job recruitment.
Addressing the people of the state in a statement obtained by The News Chronicle, the governor did not mince words: “I want to let you know that I have dissolved the Board of the Local Government Service Commission. This is because we discovered serious abuse of office and cheating in the recent job recruitment.”
He described the entire process as a betrayal of public trust, stressing that the actions uncovered were neither fair nor acceptable.
“What happened was wrong and unfair. It betrayed the trust you placed in us,” he said, laying bare the scale of the wrongdoing.
The initial recruitment exercise—which had already been halted—will remain suspended, the governor affirmed. But he assured residents that a new dawn is coming.
“We will start it again properly, clean, open, and based on merit, so that only qualified people get the jobs.”
In a state where allegations of favoritism and backdoor dealings often hang in the air like harmattan dust, Otu’s statement landed like a hammer on an old anvil. He reiterated his stance on integrity, noting:
“I want to reassure you, I do not tolerate corruption in any form.”
The governor pledged continued action to cleanse public institutions and restore public confidence. “We will continue to take strong steps to make our institutions honest and trustworthy.”
Ending on a note of unity and resolve, Otu called on Cross Riverians to join hands in building a state where transparency is the rule, not the exception.
“Together, we will build a better Cross River State where things are done the right way.”
