All is not well within the Cross River State chapter of the Nigerian Democratic Congress (NDC) ahead of the 2027 general elections, as fresh allegations of an internal political arrangement involving some major stakeholders have thrown the opposition party into palpable tension.
Insiders within the opposition party have alleged that Senator Gershom Bassey and former Governor Liyel Imoke are shopping for a convenient governorship candidate who could pave the way for an easy victory for the incumbent Governor Bassey Otu in 2027.
Recall that the National Leadership of NDC had uploaded the name of the former National Treasurer, John Upan Odey, as a placeholder for the governorship ticket in the state.
According to sources within the party, the choice of a candidate from the North, particularly from Obudu Local Government Area, the same local government of immediate past Governor Ben Ayade, has generated negative reactions among some stakeholders who believe the party needs a candidate from the Southern Senatorial District to stand a better chance against the APC.
However, rather than settling for either of the other two contenders who contested the governorship primaries, Engr. Coco-Bassey Mkpang, PhD, and Barr. Edem Ekong, the party is alleged to be considering little-known Pastor Okpo Ene as its governorship candidate.
Party insiders described the alleged move as part of a coded transactional politics aimed at presenting a lightweight candidate who would give Governor Otu a relatively easy victory at the polls.
Interestingly, Senator Gershom Bassey, who in the past election joined forces with Prince Bassey Edet Otu to work against his party, is now playing the undertaker’s job in the opposition NDC for Governor Bassey Otu.
Rather than choosing between the other two contenders who contested the governorship primaries, Engr. Coco-Bassey Mkpang, PhD, and Barr. Edem Ekong, the political party, in a coded transactional politics, has drafted little-known Pastor Okpo Ene to fly the party’s flag as a lightweight in order to give Gov. Otu a cheap victory at the polls.
The Tripartite Alliance has the state chairman, Goddie Akpama, Senator Gershom Bassey, and former Governor Liyel Imoke as the arrowheads.
This unholy contrivance, if successful, will see Senator Gershom and Liyel Imoke playing a covert godfather role in Prince Bassey Otu’s second term in office.
According to the sources, the bigger political calculation behind the alleged move is to weaken the opposition in Cross River State and leave Arthur Jarvis as the only major political challenge capable of troubling the incumbent governor.
As of the time of filing this report, tension was said to be mounting within the NDC, with critical stakeholders reportedly making efforts to resist what they consider an attempt to interfere with the choice of the party’s governorship candidate.
Some stakeholders, who spoke on condition of anonymity, said they were prepared to expose what they described as an abnormal political arrangement because of the possible consequences it could have on the fortunes of other NDC candidates contesting elective positions across the state.
“All efforts to reach Engr. Coco-Bassey Mkpang and Barr. Edem Ekong proved abortive, as they neither received calls nor responded to messages sent to their phone lines.”
The party leaders are said to have vowed to resist what they consider external interference in the process of choosing the NDC governorship candidate for the 2027 election.
The allegations could not be independently verified as of press time, and the individuals mentioned in the alleged arrangement have not publicly confirmed the claims.
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