By Abasi Ita
The All Progressives Congress APC in Cross River State has adopted consensus candidates to lead its State Executive Committee ahead of party elections.
Under the arrangement, former federal lawmaker who represented the Boki Ikom Federal Constituency in Cross River Central Hon. Chris Etta emerged as the consensus candidate for State Chairman of the party.
His emergence was affirmed by stakeholders at the state congress in Calabar, signalling unity within the state chapter of the APC.
In the same vein, Hon. Ogana Lukpata from Yala Local Government Area in the Cross River Northern Senatorial District was selected as Deputy State Chairman, while Mr Patrick Okon from Calabar South in the Cross River Southern Senatorial District is set to continue as State Secretary.
The consensus arrangement followed extensive consultations among party leaders aimed at preventing internal divisions and ensuring a smooth transition into the next phase of the party’s organisational processes. Delegates later gathered at the U.J. Esuene Stadium in Calabar to formally endorse the agreed slate after an earlier stakeholders meeting held at the State Library Complex.
A senior party source described the emergence of the consensus candidates as a demonstration of commitment to cohesion and collective responsibility. The source added that the new leadership team is expected to strengthen grassroots mobilisation and consolidate the party’s structure across the state ahead of future elections.
Although the full list of nominees for the State Working Committee has yet to be officially released, party members expressed optimism that the consensus process would promote unity and enhance the APC’s electoral performance.
The emergence of Etta from Cross River Central and Lukpata from Cross River North reflects the party’s effort to ensure balanced representation across the state’s senatorial districts while avoiding contested primaries that often generate internal friction.