…Ada Bekwarra II Accused of Nepotism, Undermining Party Unity
ABOUCHICHE – Bekwarra Local Government Area has once again found itself at the centre of controversy following disputes over the distribution of Christmas hampers reportedly donated by Cross River State Governor, Sen. Bassey Otu, to key stakeholders of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in the area during the last festive season NEGROIDHAVEN can report.
The latest development comes barely weeks after the removal of the former council chairman, Hon. Theresa Ushie, who was ousted amid allegations of abuse of office and high-handedness levelled against her by the council legislature.
A socio-political APC support group operating in the area, Bekwarra Rebirth, has raised allegations of favouritism, impunity and sabotage against the Ada Bekwarra II, Signor Omang Idiege, accusing him of playing a central role in compiling and forwarding the list of beneficiaries for the governor’s Christmas goodwill packages.
In a statement issued in Calabar and signed by its President, Odey Paulinus, and Secretary, Ogar Eneji, the group alleged that Chief Idiege departed from the agreed framework for distributing the hampers, which was said to provide for thirty beneficiaries—three persons from each of the ten wards in the local government.
According to the group, the process was allegedly skewed in favour of Gakem Ward, the traditional ruler’s home ward, which reportedly produced nine beneficiaries, while the remaining nine wards were left to share the balance. They further alleged that Abouchiche Ward, which hosts the council headquarters, did not benefit from the exercise.
Bekwarra Rebirth claimed that several individuals who were duly nominated, submitted their account details and met the criteria for selection were allegedly excluded for what they described as “political reasons.”
The group questioned the rationale behind the distribution pattern, asking how a single ward could produce nine beneficiaries while others recorded one or none. They described the situation as a continuation of what they termed a long-standing culture of impunity in the local government area, calling for urgent intervention.
They appealed to Governor Otu to institute a thorough investigation into the matter and ensure fairness in order to forestall future discontent. The group also urged Chief Idiege to either clarify the circumstances surrounding the list or prove that the alleged manipulation occurred without his approval.
To support their claims, Bekwarra Rebirth released a detailed list of proposed beneficiaries, indicating those who reportedly received the hampers and those who did not, across the various wards of the local government area.
According to the group, the distribution pattern showed a disproportionate concentration of beneficiaries from Gakem Ward, which they described as clear evidence of favouritism and sabotage of the governor’s goodwill gesture.
“The fact that nine out of the twenty-six hampers reportedly went to Gakem Ward, while the remaining were unevenly distributed among other wards—excluding the council headquarters—raises serious concerns,” the statement read.
The group insisted that the alleged actions, if left unchecked, could undermine party cohesion and public trust at the grassroots level, urging the governor to intervene decisively.
Reacting to the allegations, Chief Signor Omang Idiege, the Ada Bekwarra, dismissed the claims and distanced himself from the group. He advised that any genuine grievances should be channelled through established party structures rather than aired on social media.
“I don’t know them,” he said. “We have recognised support and pressure groups. If they are responsible party members, they should approach the appropriate party organs at the ward, local government or state levels to lodge their complaints. Responsible party members do not resort to social media to insult their leaders.”
