The Cross River State chapter of the All Progressives Congress (APC) has dismissed the Peoples Democratic Party’s (PDP) claim that it would reclaim power in the state during the 2027 general elections, describing it as an “empty boast and political comedy.”
The conflict between the APC and the PDP in Cross River reflects a larger national struggle between Nigeria’s two main political parties.
The party controlled Cross River continuously from 1999 until 2015, when fissures began to surface, culminating in former Governor Ben Ayade’s switch to the APC in 2021.
This move drastically tilted the political balance in favor of the ruling party, allowing the APC to solidify power ahead of the 2023 elections.
In a statement signed by its Publicity Secretary, Emmanuel Inyang, on Thursday, the ruling party stated that the PDP had lost political relevance in the state and lacked the strength to confront Governor Bassey Otu in the upcoming elections.
“Ordinarily, we would not waste time responding to their blithering, but we must remind Cross Riverians that even when the PDP was stronger, the APC defeated it convincingly at the polls.
“Today, the PDP is nothing but a shadow of itself, with its members trooping in droves to the APC. Their ambition in 2027 is dead on arrival,” the statement read.
The APC described the PDP’s recent gathering in Calabar, conducted by its state chairman, Venatius Ikem, as “hollow” and an attempt to give the idea that the party still had a chance of returning to power.
The APC assured its followers that Otu’s re-election attempt in 2027 was “as certain as daybreak and nightfall” and urged citizens to be loyal to the “People First” administration.
