OPINION: Jarigbe's Defection Shakes C'River North

By Isaac AQUA

The political atmosphere in Cross River North has entered a defining moment as Senator Jarigbe Agom Jarigbe moves closer to formally joining the ruling All Progressives Congress, APC. 

His recent visit to President Ahmed Tinubu in the company of Senate President Godswill Akpabio and newly defected Senator Samaila Kaila signaled more than a courtesy call. It marked the preface to what political observers now describe as one of the most consequential realignments in Cross River State ahead of the 2027 elections.

However,what appears on the surface as a routine defection has detonated shockwaves across the political landscape. 

The APC in Cross River North is experiencing a mix of excitement, caution and outright anxiety. 

This is visible as party chieftains and stakeholders have been returning to strategy tables to redraw maps that had seemed settled. Even long standing alliances are suddenly fluid since the clips from the Presidential Villa hit the airwaves.

The fears within the APC in Cross River North have become more pronounced. The formation of the so called Northern Coalition was initially viewed as a strategy to deepen party coordination. However, findings suggest it was largely assembled to counter Senator Jarigbe, whose broad and loyal political base has remained a source of unease among rival aspirants. 

The fear is rooted in the possibility that Jarigbe’s entry could confer on him first consideration in upcoming APC congresses and party benefits based on his formidable electoral value and track record.

This is predicted on the manner of Jarigbe's reception into the APC ranks which reflects his political weight. It is what some described as an inverted pyramid model in which the top of the party structure is ushering in a new member with visible admiration and strategic intent.

The national leadership of the APC sees him not only as a valuable asset but as a stabilizer with the capacity to secure advantage in a region where political fortunes have remained elusive since APC snatched up the state.

There is also the concern of political displacement. Some local APC figures had been working hard to cultivate electoral presence and negotiate relevance ahead of 2027. The triumphant entry of Senator Jarigbe and his base is projected to retire some of these actors from active contest while weakening the ambitions of others who had begun plotting National Assembly bids. Supporters describe it as a natural leveling of the political field, while critics see it as an encroachment.

 Yet the fact remains that Jarigbe has consistently translated political capital into real votes, something many long serving party stalwarts have not.

Indeed, Jarigbe’s political strength rests on a bond with supporters that cuts across party lines. It is a bond reinforced by performance in office and direct engagement in community needs.

 This was most visible in the famous electoral battle where he defeated then Governor Ben Ayade who sought a return to the Senate. It was widely described as a David and Goliath contest and the outcome reset the political compass of Cross River North.

As Jarigbe prepares to move into the APC, a large battalion of supporters is expected to move with him.

 APC insiders privately concede that many of the so called political paperweights who have maintained influence through rhetoric rather than electoral results may be forced to take the back seat. 

This is because Jarigbe’s bloc has won elections consistently and has held the bragging rights since the days of Ayade’s defeats.

One of the biggest political beneficiaries of this unfolding realignment is the quiet but maverick Governor Bassey Otu.

 With Jarigbe consolidating the North, the governor is projected to go into 2027 without elaborate expensive campaigns, but rather, with a more stabilized statewide coalition with eyes on the prize.

Otu may also no longer face intense pressure from political power blocs in the North for electoral bargaining especially with the support coming from the highest political levels in Abuja through the Jarigbe pathway.

 The governor’s camp is already viewing the development as a strategic advantage that significantly strengthens the APC’s hold in the state.

However, close associates of Senator Jarigbe insist that those fostering fear misunderstand his political character. They describe him as a consensus builder with a large accommodating heart rather than a conqueror. 

They argue that his leadership style elevates broader interest above factional dominance.

A proverb in Chinua Achebe’s Arrow of God states that the one whose name is called repeatedly by those striving to restrain a bull has a unique skill known only to him. 

For many political watchers, this reflects Jarigbe’s role in the emerging political puzzle. 

His presence alters the balance even before he makes a move.

With 2027 approaching, Cross River North has returned to the center of national political conversation. Alliances are being recalibrated. Negotiations are underway. Aspirants are reassessing their foothold. And for the first time in years, the political outcome in the region is not only predictable, but peaceful 

Whether his entry strengthens unity or intensifies rivalry, Senator Jarigbe’s impending defection has already achieved one outcome. It has shifted the political rhythm of the state and set the stage for a defining contest that will shape the direction of Cross River politics for years to come.

Political analysts also believe that Governor Bassey Otu has pulled off a strategic masterstroke in facilitating or welcoming this realignment. The development mirrors the political strategy once employed by former Governor Donald Duke, who successfully absorbed the then opposition ANPP and consolidated Cross River under the PDP banner for many years. 

By aligning with Jarigbe, Otu is seen to be fortifying the APC’s dominance and reducing the influence of rival blocs that once controlled power negotiations in the North.

As the political currents continue to shift, one reality is clear. The scene in Cross River North will no longer be defined by traditional alignments or familiar rivalries. It will now revolve around new power centers, renewed calculations and the evolving influence of Senator Jarigbe Agom Jarigbe as he positions himself within the ruling party framework ahead of 2027.