By Frank Ulom
CALABAR (CONVERSEER) – The Governor of Cross River State, Senator Bassey Otu, has been adjudged as the best governor in Nigeria, beating 35 others to the award. The award, presented by the The Sun Newspapers, was for the year 2025.
The management of newspaper commended the Governor for what it described as his “remarkable and people-centred development strides” within two years in office, culminating in his emergence as The Sun Governor of the Year 2025.
This was disclosed in Calabar on Wednesday, when the Managing Director and Editor-in-Chief of The Sun, Onouha Ukeh, led the newspaper’s management team on a courtesy visit to the Governor to formally intimate him of the honour.
According to Ukeh, the award followed a rigorous and independent assessment of Governor Otu’s performance since assumption of office.
“We have diligently followed your activities over the last two years and we are deeply impressed by the pace, scope and quality of development under your administration,” Ukeh said, adding, “From our findings, your leadership reflects vision, commitment and a genuine desire to reposition Cross River State.”
He listed several landmark achievements credited to the Otu administration, including the remodelling of the Governor’s Office, the construction of an ultra-modern state library, the development of a botanical garden, and the execution of numerous road projects across the state.
“These interventions,” he noted, “speak to deliberate governance and strategic investment in public infrastructure.”
Ukeh explained that the award is conferred on leaders whose contributions resonate beyond their immediate domains. “This recognition is not merely ceremonial,” he said, noting that, “It celebrates resilience, excellence in public service and tangible contributions to national development. Based on these indices, we found Governor Otu eminently deserving of The Sun Governor of the Year award.”
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Responding, Governor Otu expressed profound gratitude to God and to the management of The Sun Newspapers for what he described as an objective and thorough evaluation of his administration.
“I am deeply humbled to be found worthy of this honour,” the Governor said, adding, “I thank God Almighty and The Sun for taking the time to go round the nooks and crannies of Cross River State to see, firsthand, what we are doing.”
He stressed that the guiding philosophy of his administration remains service to the people. “Everything we have done is aimed at positively impacting the lives of our people. This recognition will gladden the hearts of Cross Riverians, because it affirms that our collective efforts are being noticed,” Otu said.
The Governor added that his administration has focused on consolidating and improving on what it met on ground, laying what he described as “foundational and fundamental structures” for sustainable development. “We are building deliberately, with the future of our people in mind,” he concluded.
