As the 2027 general elections draw closer, questions are increasingly being raised over the quality of representation delivered by members of the House of Representatives from some of the most economically challenged federal constituencies in Cross River State.
The concerns are particularly strong in Cross River Central, where constituents in Ikom/Boki and Obubra/Etung continue to demand greater accountability from their representatives, while similar questions are being asked in parts of Cross River North, especially Obudu/Obanliku/Bekwarra and Ogoja/Yala.
For the Ikom/Boki Federal Constituency, Hon. Victor Bisong Abang has become one of the most criticised lawmakers in the state, with some constituents accusing him of failing to meet major expectations that accompanied his election in 2023.
Abang came into office with a reputation for having political and governmental connections and the capacity to attract federal opportunities to Ikom and Boki. But sadly, three years into his first term, constituents say the difference between the expectations created before the election and the reality on the ground remains a major source of frustration.
One of the issues repeatedly raised against the lawmaker is accountability. Constituents have questioned the visibility and impact of constituency interventions and have demanded clearer explanations on projects and other federal opportunities linked to the constituency.
In August 2026, constituents and community stakeholders reportedly demanded accountability from Abang over employment promises made before the 2023 election, particularly assurances concerning federal jobs for qualified youths from Ikom and Boki. They said many of those promises had not materialised three years after the election. Abang's camp, however, dismissed the criticisms as opposition attacks.
The controversy has also followed the recent renovation of classrooms across some schools in the constituency. While the projects have been defended by supporters as legitimate federal constituency interventions captured in the appropriation process, critics have questioned why some of the visible interventions are becoming more prominent with 2027 approaching.
Abang himself has rejected the criticisms and presented a midterm scorecard, citing classroom projects, roads, empowerment programmes and the reconnection of about 35 communities to telecommunications services. His supporters have argued that his record is more substantial than his critics portray it.
The controversy therefore goes beyond whether projects exist. The bigger question for voters in Ikom and Boki is whether the interventions being recorded are sufficient when measured against the size of the constituency, the promises made before the election and the resources attached to federal constituency representation.
The situation is similarly complicated in the Obubra/Etung Federal Constituency, where Rt. Hon. Michael Etaba Irom has represented the area for three terms. Etaba's political longevity is itself a major part of the debate. He has been in the National Assembly since 2015 and became one of the longest-serving members from the Central Senatorial District. Reports have described him as a three-term lawmaker who entered politics without a major political background and successfully maintained his hold on the constituency.
Yet, despite the years spent in the National Assembly, Obubra and parts of Etung remain confronted by serious development challenges. Poor roads, inadequate electricity, limited access to potable water and weak economic opportunities continue to shape the lives of many rural communities.
Past constituency tracking and community reports have also raised questions about accessibility and communication between residents and their representative, with some residents complaining that reaching their lawmaker outside election periods was difficult.
Etaba's long tenure therefore presents a difficult question for voters: if three terms in the House have not produced the level of transformation expected by constituents, what exactly should voters consider when judging the value of continued representation?
Etaba has now been overtaken by the political process ahead of another term, having failed to secure the party ticket for a return. His exit from the race has consequently created an opportunity for constituents to examine his years in office and decide whether his representation produced enough measurable impact.
Across the northern senatorial district, Hon. Peter Akpanke of the Obudu/Obanliku/Bekwarra Federal Constituency is also facing the test of public perception.
Akpanke, a first-term lawmaker, has not been without constituency projects. Available records show several projects attributed to his representation, including classroom blocks, roads, water projects, solar streetlights, agricultural interventions and empowerment programmes. A 2025 analysis of constituency projects listed 17 projects with a combined budget value of about N2.45 billion for the constituency, although budget allocation does not automatically mean that every project has been completed or delivered.
In 2026, Akpanke also commissioned classroom projects in different communities, including a six-classroom block with a library and offices at Community Secondary School, Ukpada, and a three-classroom block at Olokpa in Bekwarra.
Despite these interventions, the constituency continues to face the broader challenges of rural poverty, poor roads, electricity deficits and limited economic opportunities across its three local government areas.
Akpanke has also faced political controversy following allegations of contract racketeering circulating in the public space. His media office rejected the allegations, describing them as misleading and mischievous, and argued that Akpanke had a history as a contractor before entering the National Assembly. The allegation remains an allegation and should not be treated as established wrongdoing without competent findings.
The situation makes Akpanke's 2027 re-election particularly open to public scrutiny. Beyond party politics, voters will likely judge whether the projects being delivered are enough to address the structural problems confronting Obudu, Bekwarra and Obanliku.
In Ogoja/Yala Federal Constituency, Hon. Godwin Offiono is another lawmaker whose record will come under increasing attention as the next election approaches.
Offiono was elected on the platform of the Peoples Democratic Party in 2023 but later defected to the All Progressives Congress in November 2025. He said his decision to leave the PDP was influenced by structural problems within the party which, according to him, affected his ability to deliver effective representation.
His legislative record includes bills relating to commercial agriculture, the proposed establishment of a School of Mines and Geological Studies in Yala and constitutional amendment, according to legislative records.
But legislative activity in Abuja is only one side of representation. In Yala, where many communities continue to struggle with poverty, poor roads and limited economic opportunities, the ultimate question for constituents remains whether federal representation is translating into meaningful changes in their everyday lives.
This is the broader dilemma confronting Cross River Central and parts of Cross River North as 2027 approaches.
From Ikom/Boki to Obubra/Etung, and from Obudu/Obanliku/Bekwarra to Ogoja/Yala, federal constituency budgets have carried billions of naira in projects and interventions over the years. There are also documented projects, legislative activities and empowerment programmes attributed to the current representatives.
But the existence of budget lines and announced projects does not automatically settle the question of effective representation.
For many constituents, the real measure is simpler: roads that can be used, electricity that works, schools that are functional, water that is accessible, jobs that can be found and economic opportunities that can improve household incomes.
With 2027 approaching, Victor Abang, Michael Etaba's political legacy, Peter Akpanke and Godwin Offiono will all be judged against that reality.
The coming election may therefore become more than another contest for political office. It could also become a referendum on whether the people of some of Cross River's most disadvantaged constituencies believe their representatives have done enough with the mandates entrusted to them.
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