Cross River APC Faces 2027 Threat Over Unresolved Primary Disputes — Odok
By Ben GBOR
A chieftain of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Cross River State, Barr. Joseph Odok, has warned that the party could face serious electoral challenges in the 2027 general elections unless it urgently addresses lingering grievances arising from its primary elections.
Odok, who described unresolved disputes from the party’s primaries as the APC’s biggest challenge in the state, alleged that the failure to reconcile aggrieved aspirants and their supporters was deepening internal divisions and threatening party unity.
In a statement, the APC stalwart lamented what he termed a growing culture of sycophancy within the party, arguing that honest conversations about the conduct of the primaries were taking place outside Cross River rather than within the state’s political structure.
He referenced comments reportedly made by former lawmaker, Hon. Cletus Obun, during an appearance on national television, saying they reflected concerns already in the public domain about how the party’s primaries were conducted.
According to Odok, the primaries were characterised by the “allocation of votes” rather than a transparent electoral contest, a development he said left many aspirants feeling unfairly excluded.
“The big problem of Cross River APC today is that most of those who were eliminated and denied tickets are still angry, their supporters are angry, and those holding tickets are not making efforts at reconciliation but are instead growing in arrogant mockery after the impunity of the primaries,” he stated.
Odok further criticised what he described as the party’s reconciliation efforts, alleging that some aspirants were encouraged to purchase nomination forms despite having little or no realistic chance of emerging as candidates.
He argued that genuine reconciliation requires acknowledging grievances, promoting fairness, and rebuilding trust rather than what he described as token gestures.
The APC chieftain warned that unless the party embraces sincere reconciliation and reforms its internal reward system, many disenchanted members could either withdraw their support or align with opposition parties ahead of the next election cycle.
He also cautioned against what he called increasing political intolerance and impunity, insisting that attempts to suppress dissenting voices would only worsen the party’s internal crisis.
Odok urged the leadership of the APC in Cross River State to prioritise healing, inclusiveness, and justice, maintaining that resolving the fallout from the primaries remains critical to preserving the party’s cohesion and electoral prospects in 2027.
