Former Vice President Atiku Abubakar has accused Cross River State Governor Bassey Otu of prioritising the security of his private residence at the expense of residents in the surrounding neighbourhood.
Atiku, the presidential candidate of the African Democratic Congress (ADC), alleged that armed policemen and two roadblocks had been deployed to protect the governor’s private residence in Calabar, while neighbouring homes remained vulnerable to repeated robbery attacks.
In a post on his X handle on Tuesday, Atiku cited complaints from residents of the estate, claiming that burglars had stolen an air conditioner and a freezer from one resident, while two other houses on a nearby street were reportedly attacked last week.
READ ALSO: CHRICED Bemoans Pressure on Civic Space in Nigeria, Demands Stronger Democratic Accountability
He also criticised Otu for allegedly governing the state from his private residence for nearly three years while the Government House remained closed for renovation.
Atiku questioned the governor’s ability to guarantee the safety of residents outside his immediate neighbourhood, describing the alleged disparity in security deployment as a cause for concern.
“If the APC cannot secure the street beside the governor, what does it offer the villages beyond the capital?” he asked.
