Some of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s Supporters during Saturday’s Direct Primaries in Calabar South
By Ita Williams, Calabar
Hon. Orok Duke, the Cross River State Representative on the board of the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC), has defended both the conduct of the APC presidential primaries and the performance of the current administration at the federal and state levels.
Duke spoke shortly after monitoring the APC direct primaries affirmation exercise held in Calabar South on Saturday.
He maintained that the exercise was transparent, insisting there was no reason to doubt the credibility of the process since even the President’s lone challenger reportedly acknowledged the fairness of the exercise.
“It was free and fair. The opponent himself admitted that the process was credible. What remains now is the collation of results in Abuja,” he said.
The APC chieftain stressed that party unity would play a major role in determining electoral victory in 2027, urging members to avoid unnecessary divisions.
On governance, Duke pointed to ongoing federal infrastructure projects as evidence that the Tinubu administration was making efforts to revive the economy.
According to Duke, projects such as the Lagos-Calabar Coastal Highway and proposed deep seaport would create significant economic multiplier effects by generating employment and stimulating local businesses.
He also defended Governor Bassey Edet Otu’s administration in Cross River State, saying the governor inherited difficult challenges and had continued to make gradual progress.
Duke further disclosed that the NDDC was complementing the efforts of the state government through several development projects across the region, assuring residents that more interventions were on the way.
Thousands of APC supporters attended the affirmation exercise to support President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s second term bids.
