Chief Okoi Obono-Obla
A former presidential adviser, Chief Okoi Obono-Obla, has urged leaders of the All Progressives Congress (APC) to ensure transparent and inclusive processes for selecting candidates for the 2027 elections as a way of sustaining peace and unity in Cross River.
Obla said in an interview on Wednesday that an implosion could only happen if party members suspect foul play in the processes as they prepare for the elections.
He said it would be counterproductive if the rights of some members were violated.
Lamenting that some founding members of the party were not treated fairly, Obla urged party leaders in the state to copy the example of Lagos State, where all stakeholders have participated in the processes for emerging candidates for the forthcoming elections.
“I am afraid that the APC in Cross River State may likely implode if a sincere, open, transparent, and democratic stakeholders’ meeting is not immediately convened—one that invites all shades of people from diverse ideological backgrounds, wings, and tendencies, and allows them to freely air their opinions, prisms, and perspectives on how to navigate the nomination of candidates.
“If the same system employed during the last Ward, Local Government, and State Congresses, as well as the last Local Government nomination of candidates, where very committed and loyal members of the party were excluded, is used, the party will bottle up resentment, ill feelings, and rebellion that could snowball into anti‑party activities during the 2027 general elections.
“The time has come for stakeholders to discuss, deliberate, and forge a consensus on the forthcoming primary election. Are we going to have a primary election or a consensus? Already, in Lagos State, such a forum has been convened and a consensus forged on the way forward. It is high time we did the same in Cross River State. The seeming peace in APC Cross River State today is nothing more than the peace of the graveyard—eerily quiet but deeply unsettled.
“We must return to the consensus and unity that once enabled us to fight with one purpose and spectacularly win elections.
“At present, that unity is no longer there, even though members grumble quietly in beer parlours and in the inner recesses of their hearts.”
He also said there is an urgent need for genuine reconciliation in the state so that those who were aggrieved by what they experienced during the recent congresses can bury their hatchet and join the battle to keep the party winning.
He said, “If nothing is done now to reconcile differences, close the gap, and establish a deliberate process of appeasement, the situation could convulse into turmoil—degenerating into a political conflagration that may erupt during the general elections. I do not wish for this to happen, because I love Cross River State and our party passionately and desire the best for her people and government as we continue to navigate through uncharted territories.”
He said with transparent primaries, party members would have the privilege of pushing those with proven track records of performance to win elections, while those who did not serve well would be denied such opportunities.
For example, he said, “Some members of the National Assembly and State Houses of Assembly have performed below par. Many have grown arrogant, swollen‑headed, inaccessible, and unapproachable, demonstrating traits of reluctant and uninspiring leadership.
“A number of them have thoughtlessly failed to return to their constituents, party members, and leaders who sacrificed their livelihoods, comfort, and resources to secure their election. For three years, they have not even offered a simple “thank you.” These representatives have become detached, dodgy, and shifty in their relationship with the people.
“Yet, there are others who have performed exceptionally well. They remain close to their constituents. Leaders of this kind—humane, compassionate, accessible, and committed to servant leadership—deserve recognition.
“The party should allow us to use its internal elections as a barometer to appreciate such leaders and, conversely, as a mechanism to show the back door to those who have failed. There must be no imposition by party oligarchs seeking to handpick candidates. Otherwise, the implosion that has been warned about will surely occur.”
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