By Abasi Ita
Political leaders and members of the All Progressives Congress in Ikom/Boki Federal Constituency have commended the peaceful and transparent conduct of the party’s House of Representatives primaries, which produced Victor Abang as the APC candidate for the 2027 general elections.
Abang, the incumbent lawmaker representing Ikom/Boki Federal Constituency in the House of Representatives, emerged winner of the direct primary election held across the constituency on Saturday, polling 10,850 votes to defeat four other aspirants following the collapse of an earlier consensus arrangement.
The aspirants in the contest included former Secretary to the Cross River State Government, Tina Banku; Chief Whip of the Cross River State House of Assembly and member representing Boki II State Constituency, Hilary Bisong; former lawmaker, Cletus Obun; Joseph Enu; and former Commissioner for Works, Engr Dan Asu.
Announcing the results at the APC constituency secretariat in Ikom, the returning officer, Eka Williams, said the party resorted to direct primaries after stakeholders failed to reach a unanimous agreement on the proposed consensus arrangement.
He explained that the exercise was conducted in line with the provisions of the APC constitution and the Electoral Act, describing the process as peaceful, transparent and credible, with an outcome that reflected the will of party members across the constituency.
Before the primaries, the Speaker of the Cross River State House of Assembly, Elvert Ayambem, had endorsed Abang’s emergence as consensus candidate for the constituency.
Receiving Abang and party stakeholders in Ikom, Ayambem said the development reflected unity and political maturity among stakeholders in Ikom/Boki.
He noted that Abang’s tenure in the National Assembly had attracted several development projects and interventions to the constituency.
The Speaker urged party members to remain united and mobilise support for all APC candidates ahead of the 2027 general elections.
Reacting after his victory, Abang expressed appreciation to party members for the confidence reposed in him and pledged to continue effective representation.
He called on his co-aspirants and stakeholders to join forces with him in advancing the collective development of the constituency, stressing that unity and cooperation remained essential for progress.
Former Secretary to the State Government and aspirant, Tina Banku, congratulated Abang and commended the peaceful conduct of the exercise, expressing readiness to work with him for the development of Ikom/Boki.
Also reacting, Hilary Bisong accepted the outcome of the primaries and reaffirmed his loyalty to the APC.
He appreciated his supporters and political associates for their backing and urged them to remain calm and committed to party unity.
Bisong noted that the outcome did not mark the end of his political journey.
Chairman of Boki Local Government Area, Beatrice Nyaim, and her Ikom counterpart, Mercy Nsor, described Abang’s victory as a reflection of his wide acceptance among constituents and party members.
They attributed his emergence to his performance in office and the confidence reposed in his representation.
In separate remarks, the Cross River State Commissioner for Information and APC Chairman in Boki chapter, Kelvin Njong, applauded the transparent conduct of the primaries, describing it as a demonstration of internal democracy within the APC.