By Abasi Ita
Ahead of today’s All Progressives Congress APC senatorial primaries for Cross River Central Senatorial District, fierce political maneuvering has intensified between powerful interests in Abuja and forces loyal to Governor Bassey Otu over who emerges as the party’s flag bearer for the 2027 general elections.
The battle has pitched the incumbent senator, Eteng Jonah Williams, against the Commissioner for Special Duties, Oden Ewa, who is widely believed to enjoy the backing of Governor Otu and influential members of the Calabar political bloc.
While the Abuja camp, reportedly comprising the Presidency, members of the National Assembly, some APC governors, ministers and the national leadership of the party, is rooting for Williams’ return ticket, the Calabar bloc has remained adamant about replacing the senator with Ewa, citing what it described as poor performance by the incumbent lawmaker, an allegation some party members and locals have dismissed as a flimsy excuse aimed at sidelining political figures perceived to be outside the governor’s preferred camp.
Sources within the APC disclosed that several high ranking party leaders and federal power brokers have mounted pressure on Governor Otu to reconsider his perceived position in order to avoid a major crisis within the party.
A party insider alleged that the governor’s insistence on installing preferred candidates across the state was already generating dissatisfaction within APC ranks.
According to the source, several serving lawmakers seeking return tickets in the House of Representatives were allegedly denied support by forces loyal to the governor.
The source further claimed that the lawmaker representing Ikom Boki Federal Constituency in the House of Representatives, Victor Abang, narrowly escaped losing his second term ticket following what was described as last minute intervention by influential stakeholders.
However, the source alleged that some lawmakers were not as fortunate, claiming that Bassey Akiba representing Calabar Municipality/Odukpani Federal Constituency, Emil Inyang of Akamkpa/Biase, Mike Etaba of Etung/Obubra and Godwin Offiono representing Ogoja/Yala had all been displaced in the primaries.
The insider also claimed that the fate of Peter Akpanke representing Obudu/Bekwarra/Obanliku Federal Constituency remained uncertain following the purported emergence of former Bekwarra Council Chairman, Theresa Ushie, from a parallel House of Representatives primary election.
The insider further alleged that the Presidency, members of the National Assembly, about seven APC governors and a serving minister had reached out to Governor Otu over the Cross River Central contest, but that the governor remained determined to back his preferred candidate.
According to the source, the political calculations surrounding the senatorial primary may not be unconnected with wider power struggles ahead of the contest for the Senate Presidency in 2027.
The source alleged that some forces within the party were seeking to weaken the camp of Senate President Godswill Akpabio by edging out perceived loyalists, including Senator Williams.
Meanwhile, in what observers described as a move to forestall possible disputes arising from the National Assembly primaries nationwide, the APC national leadership has centralized the collation and announcement of results for all legislative primaries.
In an internal memo dated May 17, 2026 and addressed to chairmen of the National Assembly Primary Election Committees, the party’s National Organizing Secretary, Sulaiman Muhammad Argungu, directed that all results be processed through designated channels before final submission to the party’s national headquarters in Abuja.
Under the directive, results are expected to pass through ward collation, local government collation and designated constituency collation centres before transmission to the national headquarters.
The APC leadership also barred state level committees from conducting independent media briefings on the outcome of the primaries.
“Any official briefing, where necessary, shall be conducted exclusively in Abuja after the submission of all results,” the memo stated.
Political observers believe the directive is aimed at preventing conflicting declarations of winners and reducing the risk of post primary litigations and internal disputes that have historically trailed party primaries in the country.
As tension mounts across Cross River Central ahead of the exercise, stakeholders have warned that the outcome of the primary could either strengthen party unity or deepen existing cracks within the APC in the state.