The Chancellor of Arthur Jarvis University, Sir Arthur Jarvis, has secured the governorship ticket of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Cross River State ahead of the 2027 general elections.
Sir Jarvis emerged victorious following a special congress of the party held in Calabar over the weekend, where party members affirmed the direct primaries conducted by the party. The chairman of the electoral committee, Dr. Clinton Chika, declared that Sir Jarvis was the sole candidate. He disclosed that 10,133 members were accredited to participate in the primaries, and 10,130 voted in favor of Sir Jarvis, ensuring his emergence as the PDP flag bearer.
In his acceptance speech, Sir Jarvis expressed gratitude to party members across the 196 political wards of the state for finding him worthy. He described the current situation in the state as “sad, bedevilled with poor leadership and infantile projects.” He stated, “Nobody has been able to create visionary projects that concern the people. Nobody cares about the people. People just come in, take your own resources, our resources, turn it into their own empire. It’s now a cartel. Who cares about you? Who cares about me? These are the matters we shall address as we move forward. Any visionary leader will ensure that even in one year, the structures are put in place for our people.”
He added that a movement to rescue the state has commenced, and everyone must commit to it because it is not going to be about the party but about the people.
Earlier, the State Chairman of the PDP, Barr Venatius Ikem, said the party has been reinventing itself and generating a lot of confidence recently. He noted that the incumbent administration in the state has not shown a reason to be voted for again and described Sir Jarvis as an upright man who fits the bill.
The party primaries were attended by all the party’s candidates for the 2027 general election, as well as the state executive and party stalwarts across the 18 local government areas of the state.
