With the All Progressives Congress (APC) still battling internal disagreements over its Cross River Central Senatorial ticket, political attention across the district is increasingly turning to the direction of the Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC) candidate, Rt. Hon. Bassey Eko Ewa.
For several weeks, the APC has remained engulfed in a dispute arising from its senatorial primary involving the party's declared candidate, Hon. Oden Ewa, and the incumbent senator representing Cross River Central, Senator Eteng Jonah Williams.
Although the Deputy Governor of Cross River State, Mr. Peter Odey, recently announced that a reconciliation meeting held at his residence on the directive of Governor Bassey Otu had resolved the disagreement and that all pending court cases had been withdrawn, the announcement was immediately challenged by sources close to Senator Eteng Williams.
According to the senator's camp, no final agreement has been reached, and the legal case challenging the outcome of the APC primary remains before the Federal High Court. The sources insisted that discussions were only at an early stage and that Senator Williams has not withdrawn his suit.
The conflicting positions have left many party members and political observers uncertain about the final outcome of the APC's senatorial ticket, as efforts to reconcile both camps continue. While the APC remains occupied with its internal challenges, the NDC has continued its engagements across the Central Senatorial District without any known dispute over its candidate.
Rt. Hon. Bassey Eko Ewa is one of the most experienced political figures from Cross River Central. He served as Speaker of the Cross River State House of Assembly (CRSHA) before going on to represent the Yakurr/Abi Federal Constituency for two terms in the House of Representatives.
Throughout his years in public service, supporters credit him with facilitating several constituency projects, including classroom construction, rural electrification, transformers, boreholes, solar-powered street lights, healthcare interventions, youth empowerment programmes and other community development projects across Yakurr and Abi Local Government Areas.
Across communities in Abi, Yakurr, Ikom, Etung, Boki and Obubra, discussions surrounding the 2027 Senate election are gradually gathering momentum. While it is still early in the election season and voter preferences cannot be conclusively determined, many political observers say the absence of an internal leadership crisis within the NDC has allowed the party to focus more on engaging the electorate and presenting its candidate ahead of the official kick-off of campaigns.
The political conversation has also been influenced by the growing visibility of the NDC in Cross River State. The party has attracted increased public attention following the recent visit of Peter Obi, one of Nigeria's leading opposition figures, to the state. His visit drew large crowds in Ogoja and generated renewed political interest, with reports of defections by some politicians and supporters in parts of Northern Cross River.
Peter Obi also enjoyed strong support in Cross River during the 2023 presidential election, where he received more votes than any other presidential candidate in the state. Political analysts believe that performance has continued to shape discussions around opposition politics in Cross River ahead of the 2027 general elections.
Meanwhile, the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has published Rt. Hon. Bassey Eko Ewa's name as the NDC senatorial candidate, a routine step in the electoral process that confirms his participation in the race as campaigns gradually intensify.
With the APC still working to resolve its internal disagreements, attention is increasingly shifting towards the issues, programmes and candidates that will define the contest for the Cross River Central Senatorial District.
It is believed that the coming months will test the strength of every political party, as candidates move from internal party politics to seeking the confidence of voters across Abi, Yakurr, Ikom, Etung, Boki and Obubra.
As campaigns gather pace, the people of Cross River Central will ultimately decide at the ballot box who they believe has the experience, capacity and vision to represent the district in the Senate.
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