The Chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Cross River State, Hon. Chris Eta, has commended party members for maintaining peace and order during the House of Representatives primary elections held across the state over the weekend. Speaking with journalists in Calabar, Eta said the party conducted the exercise using the direct primary system in line with directives from the national leadership of the APC.
Primary Elections Conducted Peacefully
The primaries were held on Saturday across the 18 local government areas covering the state’s eight federal constituencies ahead of the 2027 general elections. As of Sunday evening, however, the official results of the primaries had yet to be formally released. Eta explained that although some aspirants voluntarily stepped down for others in certain constituencies, the party did not adopt a consensus arrangement.
“In some places, some of the candidates decided to step down for others, but that did not stop us from proceeding with our primaries. We did not adopt the consensus model; we adopted the direct primary model,” he said.
The APC chairman noted that turnout appeared low in some areas largely because understandings had already been reached among aspirants, leaving only one candidate in contention. “Naturally, where perhaps only one person is left standing, you cannot expect people to remain there all day. They simply affirm the candidate and leave,” he stated.
Eta maintained that throughout the exercise, there were no reports of violence, disruption, or breakdown of law and order anywhere in the state. “The only thing I know is that there has been no violence. There has been no act or action that threatened the exercise in any location across the state,” he added.
Lawmakers Reject Outcome
However, despite the peaceful atmosphere described by the party leadership, several aspirants rejected the outcome and criticised the conduct of the primaries, describing the exercise as a charade and an embarrassment to the state. Among those who raised objections were incumbent members of the House of Representatives, Hon. Bassey Akiba of Calabar Municipality/Odukpani Federal Constituency, Hon. Emil Inyang of Akamkpa/Biase Federal Constituency, and Hon. Godwin Offiono of Ogoja/Yala Federal Constituency.
Speaking separately, the aspirants alleged that the process was manipulated against them and failed to comply with both the Electoral Act and the APC constitution. They accused the state leadership of the party, allegedly backed by Governor Bassey Otu, of violating internal democratic procedures during the conduct of the primaries. The lawmakers further argued that the exercise fell short of the standards expected under the amended Electoral Act and the party’s own constitutional provisions.
Specific Allegations by Hon. Godwin Offiono
Hon. Godwin Offiono, in particular, expressed disappointment over what he described as the disenfranchisement of registered APC members in Ogoja/Yala Federal Constituency. According to him, after efforts to reach a consensus failed, the party leadership agreed to conduct direct primaries, but the process allegedly lacked transparency and credibility.
“What I witnessed today was not only alarming but deeply disheartening. Our electoral system has shown no meaningful improvement, especially now that we have a man of God as governor and leader of the party,” Offiono said. “How do you announce results by 9:00 a.m. when electoral materials had not even arrived in Yala?”
He further claimed that he was unable to vote in his own ward in Okuku, Yala Local Government Area, because election materials were allegedly unavailable. “As an aspirant, I could not even vote or see materials for my own primary in my ward. But regardless of what happened, I remain in the race and have not stepped down for anybody,” he declared.
