The Cross River State Government has given the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and its governorship candidate, Sir Arthur Jarvis Archibong, 48 hours to retract a report alleging that Governor Bassey Otu directed the Paramount Ruler of Calabar South not to receive the PDP candidate.
The government described the allegation as false and damaging to the image of Governor Otu and his administration.
The position of the government was made public by the Commissioner for Information and Orientation, Pastor Ekpenyong Cobham, while addressing journalists in Calabar.
Cobham said the government’s attention was drawn to a press release credited to Sir Arthur Jarvis Archibong concerning an alleged instruction by Governor Otu to the Paramount Ruler of Calabar South.
According to the Commissioner, because of the seriousness of the allegation, he personally went to meet the Paramount Ruler to establish what actually happened.
Cobham said the traditional ruler denied that Governor Otu gave him any instruction not to receive Archibong.
He further disclosed that the Paramount Ruler had drawn Archibong’s attention to the publication and that he personally saw an apology from Archibong on the monarch’s phone.
According to Cobham, Archibong’s message reportedly stated that he had directed his media team to take down the press release.
The Commissioner questioned why an apology and withdrawal would become necessary if the original allegation was accurate.
“If that news was correct by any means, why would there be a need to apologize and why would there be a need to take it down?” Cobham said.
He maintained that retracting a report and apologising was the proper thing to do when a person realises that information capable of causing tension or misunderstanding had been published.
Cobham also accused the opposition camp of trying to create a narrative that the Governor was behind the activities of individuals canvassing for votes ahead of the All Progressives Congress (APC) congress.
He said the allegation was capable of creating a wrong impression about Governor Otu and his relationship with traditional rulers in the state.
The Commissioner challenged journalists, particularly investigative journalists, to go beyond hearsay and speak directly with the Paramount Ruler of Calabar South to establish the facts surrounding the incident.
He said the state government was already in possession of what he described as an apology from Sir Arthur Jarvis Archibong and his media team, which, according to him, puts the facts of the matter in proper perspective.
Cobham said the allegation was an insult to the character and personality of Governor Otu, insisting that the government would not allow what it described as false information about the Governor to go unchallenged.
Consequently, the Cross River State Government gave the PDP and Archibong 48 hours to formally retract the press release and publish an unreserved apology in two national newspapers.
The government warned that failure to comply with the demand within the stipulated period could result in legal action, with the Attorney-General of Cross River State potentially being compelled to institute proceedings.
The controversy comes as political activities continue to gather momentum in Cross River State ahead of the 2027 general elections, with the ruling APC and opposition PDP increasingly trading claims and counterclaims over political activities across the state.
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