TheCable

The Global Centre for Conscious Living Against Corruption, a coalition of 13 anti-corruption groups, says the fraud conviction claim against Bassey Otu, a governorship aspirant in Cross River state, is false.

Some All Progressives Congress (APC) members had petitioned the screening committee in the state, alleging that Otu had been convicted of fraud and is not qualified to run for office.

But in a statement on Thursday, Nwambu Gabriel, director-general of the coalition, said the petition is an attempt to discredit the governorship aspirant.

Gabriel said Otu served his former employer “meritoriously” before he resigned his appointment to venture into politics.

“Senator Otu has served as a two-term Member of House of Representatives for Calabar Municipal/Odukpani between May 2003 and May 2011. He has also served as a Senator representing the southern senatorial district of Cross River State from June 2011 to June 2015,” he said.

“Senator Otu has contested election in 2003, 2007, 2011, 2015 and 2019 respectively. He has been consistently screened by all the relevant agencies of government.

“From the foregoing, it becomes evident that this fiction exists only in the mind of the author of this script which was orchestrated, premeditated, designed to mutilate the impeccable integrity of Distinguished Senator Bassey Edet Otu who has served this nation meritoriously, performed creditably well, and has made his mark in banking and public service respectively.

“We want to enjoin Nigerians and indeed all persons aspiring for public position of trust to face the realities of politics rather than the ‘Pull Him Down Syndrome’ which is inimical to deepening democracy in Nigeria but sadly has dominated our political space.”