Bassey Otu, Ayade relationship remains perfectly cordial – Barr. Akiba

Barrister Ekpenyong Akiba, the media aide to the governorship candidate of Cross River State All Progressives Congress (APC), Distinguished Senator (Prince) Bassey Otu, has said that the relationship between his principal and Governor Ben Ayade remains cordial and perfect as ever.

Barr. Akiba stated this in a press release issued in reaction to a publication suggesting that all doesn’t seem to be well between the governor and the Cross River APC candidate.

His words: “My attention has been drawn to a misleading sponsored smear campaign against Sen. Prince Bassey Otu originating from one amateur hireling of Sandy Onor (Cross River PDP governorship candidate) and the PDP ‘Desmond Cruz’ and published in a known propaganda blog ‘The Eagles Voice’ titled ‘Prince Otu loyalist clash with Ben Ayade’.

“It can be recalled that, recently the same Desmond Cruz was involved in a libelous imbroglio with Chief Obono Obla, at the brink of being jailed, Crossriverians made spirited appeals to Chief Obla to drop the case which he eventually did.

“Recall the same ‘Desmond Cruz’ wrote a remorseful apology which was published in the media retracting the libel and damage he had done. One will have thought that having escaped by the whiskers, he will refrain from being used as an agent of vicious defamation attacks.

“Since the rumour of his aspiration, Senator (Prince) Bassey Edet Otu has been the target of vicious defamation attacks and campaign of Calumny, efforts aimed at tarnishing Senator Out’s image and the well-known integrity he has worked tirelessly to build, sustain, and maintain over the decades and sabotaging his chances at the polls.

“Understandably, at every point in the pursuit of a public office, there are renegades, saboteurs, black legs, conspirators, fifth columnists and outright blackmailers, who manipulate public perceptions with fabricated lies and deception to the advantage of their sponsors, so it is not entirely surprising to see these attacks.”

He continued: “For the avoidance of doubt, everything written on that article are fictitious and fabricated tissues of lies, an amateur propaganda in futility trying to earn his pay.

“Let me state categorically that the relationship between Sen. Prince Bassey Otu, the Cross River State APC gubernatorial candidate and His Excellency Sen. Prof. Ben Ayade our Digital Governor is not only cordial but also perfect.

“Sen. Prince Bassey Otu is strong as always and enjoys sound health as given to him By God Almighty. The APC campaign begins today and there has been no issues with funding in every sense of the word.

“Mr. Desmond Cruz and his sponsors should get ready to provide evidence of their unsubstantiated claims before the Court of Law as no appeals will save him this time.”

The media aide added that “Senator Otu’s exceptional and selfless humanitarianism, kindness, social and economic empowerment records, scholarships, and countless achievements are well known among Cross Riverians, all attempts to smear and disparage him are glaring to everyone.

“We urge every Cross Riverian and party supporters to completely dismiss the obvious tissues of lies, as they are the creation of desperate actors.”