Consensus List: APC Drops Akiba, Inyang, Etaba, Offiono as Bassey, Eke, Okpo, Gaul, Egbara, Abang, Akpanke, Odey Emerge
By Bassey Bassey
Ahead of the Saturday, May 16 primaries of the All Progressives Congress, Governor Bassey Otu, through the party structure, has reportedly released a list of consensus candidates for the eight federal constituencies in Cross River State.
THE BEAGLE NEWS gathered that those believed to have secured endorsement for a second term after intense political negotiations are the incumbents representing Akpabuyo/Bakassi/Calabar South, Ikom/Boki and Obudu/Bekwarra/Obanliku Federal Constituencies, namely Joseph Bassey, Victor Abang and Peter Akpanke.
However, the situation appears uncertain for other serving lawmakers, including Bassey Akiba of Calabar Municipality/Odukpani, Emil Inyang of Akamkpa/Biase, Mike Etaba of Obubra/Etung and Godwin Offiono of Ogoja/Yala Federal Constituencies, who are said to have resolved to contest the primaries.
The fresh faces on the consensus list include former Director General of the Border Communities Development Agency, Ngim Okpo for Akamkpa/Biase, former Speaker of the Cross River State House of Assembly, John Gaul Lebo for Abi/Yakurr, former Commissioner for Humanitarian Affairs, Blessing Otobha Egbara for Obubra/Etung, Stella Odey a former Commissioner for Local Government Affairs and member of the Revenue Mobilisation Allocation and Fiscal Commission for Ogoja Yala,, Effeffiong Nta Eke for Calabar Municipality/Odukpani Federal Constituency.
THE BEAGLE NEWS further gathered that the alleged consensus arrangement has sparked discontent within the party, with affected aspirants insisting they were neither consulted nor carried along before the list was unveiled.
A stakeholder from Ikom, who identified himself as Ntufam Emmanuel Agbor, said the governor’s preference for consensus candidates had generated strong resistance and mounting tension within the party.
According to him, the approach could trigger serious divisions within the APC in the state.
“For instance, there was no stakeholders meeting or meeting of aspirants to hear everybody out as was done in other states.
“Rather, the governor was said to have forwarded the list to the party, and the party in turn summoned chapter chairmen and announced the names of the consensus candidates, just as it happened in the Assembly and House of Representatives arrangements,” he said.
Agbor expressed concern that the process was excluding many interests and creating room for distrust and acrimony within the party, adding that many legacy members had been sidelined in the allocation of House of Representatives tickets.
Another stakeholder in Abi, Emmanuel Bassey, described the arrangement as an “ambush list” in his constituency, warning that such undemocratic tendencies could cost the party victory in the general elections.
“We have never witnessed this kind of consensus and highhandedness since the days of PDP. It is worrisome and surprising that people who worked for the party and supported the governor are treated like nobodies and discarded like a pack of cards,” he said.
Meanwhile, sources close to the camps of Akiba, Inyang, Etaba and Offiono indicated that the lawmakers remain determined to test their popularity at the primaries despite the reported consensus arrangement.
THE BEAGLE NEWS
