By Frank Ulom
CALABAR (CONVERSEER) – The Cross River State Consultative Forum (CRSCF) has inaugurated former Governor Clement Ebri and 87 others into its Elders Advisory Council. The inauguration was held on Thursday, 11 December 2025, at the Metropolitan Hotel (formerly Transcorp Hotels), Calabar, the state capital.
The 88-member council was inaugurated by Governor Bassey Otu, who was ably represented by Deputy Governor Peter Odey. The Governor, who was impressed by the calibre of people that constitute the Council, said no government will fail with such an advisory council.
“This is a very important advisory committee. Governments that have this quality of advisors cannot fail, and will not fail,” he stated. “So, we want to listen to the best brains that Cross River State has to offer. There is no chance that this administration is going to fail, with the quality of advisors that I have seen here today.”
The Governor noted that the Chairman of the Council is a great pick, a man with great integrity. According to him, Chief Ebri is “a man I have great respect for, not just as a former leader of Cross River State, but he is a leader who is not afraid to speak the truth when it is time to speak the truth. I really respect you for who you are. His Excellency, Dr Clement Ebri, will look you in the eye and tell you the way you should be and the way that you ought to be.
“Therefore, I believe very strongly that this Elders Advisory Council will be the chief advisor to the Government of Cross River State. And by so doing, we hope to improve on what we have done. And we know that the next time we gather here, with your advice, we are going to achieve much more than we have achieved in just over two years.
“And as elders, you know you can speak the truth at all times. In fact, you can, as a matter of fact, you have the audacity as an elder to declare who is not available, eligible. So it is also in your power to do that.
“But it should be known that the advice of the elders from across Cross River State will not be taken for granted for one minute, and the administration of Senator Prince Bassey Otu will accept all advice that is going to come from this team of very credible Cross Riverians. I was going through the list when the chairman was reading them out, and I said, Wow, I don’t know how long it took you to get the names of these people, but you have done excellently well.”
Below are the names of the 88 members of the Elders Advisory Council according to their Senatorial Districts
NORTHERN SENATORIAL DISTRICT
1. YALA LGA:
Rt. Hon. Larry Odey
Senator Prof. Stephen Odey
Prof. Michael Okom
Dr Mrs Stella Odey
High Chief Higgins Peters
Chief Mrs Matina Odom
2. OGOJA:
Rt. Hon. Gabriel Edi
Chief Wabilly Nyiam
Chief Peter Ojie
Mrs Agatha Kanjal
Hon. Torita Odey
Chief Barth Onyi
3. BEKWARRA:
Hon. Legor Idagbo
Chief Omang Idiege
Mr Odey Ochicha
Barr. Cecilia Adams
4. OBUDU:
HE Prof. Ben Ayade CON
Chief P. J. Ekunke
Chief Tony Undiandeye
Dr Mrs Katrin Agba-Ajibeke
5. OBANLIKU:
Ntufam Barr. Fidelis Ugbo
Mr Dave Ashang
Hon. Tony Ushie
Dr Mrs Theresa Ikwen
CENTRAL SENATORIAL DISTRICT
1. BOKI:
Chief Amb. Soni Abang
Hon. Cletus Obun
Hon. Sonny Chris Eta
Barr. Mrs Banku Agbor
Col. Paul Edor Obi
2. IKOM:
Senator Victor Ndoma Egba CON
Rt. Hon. Elvert Ayambem
Chief Chris Agara
Chief Mrs Mary Ekpere Eta
3. ETUNG:
HE Col. Pam Ogar (Rtd.)
Sen. John Owan-Enoh
Prof. Anthony Owan-Enoh
Dr Rose Nyambi
Prince Ebuta Ayuk
Ntufam Gabe Odu-Oji
4. OBUBRA:
Hon. Alex Irek
Sir Alfred Mboto
Barr. Owa Owa
Min. Mrs Felicia Otubi Eyaba
Hon. Chief Ernest Irek
Chief Johnson Ebokpo
5. YAKURR:
HE Chief Clement Ebri (Chairman)
Sir Patrick Iwara
Chief Innocent Eteng
Mrs Esther Bepeh
Chief Barr. Utum Eteng
Dr Mbang Akpama
6. ABI:
Chief Bolaji Anani
Rt. Hon. John Gaul Lebo
Dr Betta Edu
Ekwele Egube
SOUTHERN SENATORIAL DISTRICT
1. BIASE:
HE. Prof. Ivara Esu
Chief Amb. Mrs Kate Okon
Rt. Hon. Alex Ukam
Elder Ogban Ekpei Ogban
Chief Ogbodim Ogbodim
2. BAKASSI:
Sen. Florence Ita Giwa
AIG Rtd. Ene Ene Okon
Hon. Dominic Aqua
Hon. Patrick Antigha Ene
3. AKAMKPA:
Ntufam John Okon
Prof. Patrick Asuquo
Rt. Hon. Daniel Asuquo
Princess Titi Ndifon
4. ODUKPANI:
Prof. Eyo Etim Nyong
Etinyin Asuquo Ekpenyong
Etubomn Amb. Nya Asuquo
Mrs Winifred Oyo Ita
Dr Ekpenyong Nsa
Elder Dr David Okon
5. CALABAR MUNICIPALITY:
Ntufam Hilliard Etta
Ntufam Eyo Nsa Whiley
Ntufam Edim Inok
Nkoyo Otu
6. CALABAR SOUTH:
Prof. Offiong E. Offiong
Eng. Effiong Bassey
Prof. Emmanuel Eyo
Elder Mrs Christie Ise
7. AKPABUYO:
High Chief Edemn Duke
Etubom Arc. Bassey Ndem
Prof. Mrs Francisca Bassey
Hon. Patrick Ene Okon
Engr. Bassey Nkposong
Speaking shortly after the inauguration, the Chairman of the newly inaugurated Elders Advisory Council, Chief Ebri, said he’s fully committed to leading the council owing to the class of people picked as advisors.
“I don’t know how many of you are aware that I’ve been chairman of an advisory council in the past. So, I want to assure you that I’m fully committed, and the good thing about it is that you are dealing with somebody who understands, who is homegrown.
“Looking at this team, I can tell you more than 80% of people are people I’ve already known in the past – people who have contributed so much. Even though you call them elders, they are people who have so much to offer.
“And, I am equally glad that we now have a Governor who is ready to listen to other people. I was very pleased when the Deputy Governor said they would not take our advice for granted, and I think that means a lot.
“I believe that if we constitute a body here to go to Abuja, we will not feel inferior, because from the president down, they know that these people that are here are people of substance, and people they cannot just take for whatever they think they are doing. We have people here who are not just material for the state, but for the nation, and even internationally. So you cannot just look down at them or on them. The president will look at us and know that he is dealing with people who have the weight of dignity,” Ebri maintained.
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Earlier in his welcome address, the Chairman of the CRSCF, Barr. Eyo-Nsa Ekpo said,” The essence of the Cross River State Consultative Forum is to show the way forward for the state’s progress and development, and build support for the second term of our indefatigable and performing governor. To raise awareness among the populace through what we have termed as citizens’ engagement because our politics is developing and our democracy is developing in such a way that every citizen is a partaker in the democratic process.”
Ekpo further stated that the Elders Advisory Council of the Consultative Forum will also act as a filter and a feedback mechanism to monitor the application of government interventions and projects down the line for ordinary citizens. “This will ensure that government policies and programmes are carried out to the bottom of our state, where the masses form the forefront of every government policy,” he stressed.
Local Government Area Coordinating Committees were also inaugurated, which according to Ekpo, shall be responsible for forming and creating the ward coordinating committees of the Cross River State Consultative Forum.
Other highlights of the event include the endorsement of President Bola Tinubu and Governor Otu for a second term, the celebration of Ebri’s 73rd birthday, and the listing of Otu’s achievements in the past two years.
Goodwill messages came from Chief Johnson Ekpo (Central), Prof. Stephen Odey (North) and Etinyin Dr Asuquo Ekpenyong (South).
Sen. Anthony Owan-Enoh, Minister of State for Industry; Rt. Hon. Michael Etaba, member representing Obubra/Etung Federal Constituency; Rt. Hon. Elvert Ayambem, Speaker of the Cross River State House of Assembly, and several others were also present.
