CALABAR – The Cross River State chapter of the All Progressives Congress (APC) has dismissed allegations that it is deliberately weakening opposition political parties in the state, insisting that the internal crises confronting rival parties are entirely self-inflicted.
State Chairman of the APC, Mr. Christopher Sunny Etta, made the clarification on Monday during a town hall meeting with journalists at the Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ) Press Centre in Calabar.
Responding to questions over claims that the ruling party was “sleeping” or destabilising opposition parties to consolidate its dominance ahead of the 2027 general elections, Etta said the APC had no interest in interfering in the internal affairs of other political parties.
According to him, every political party is responsible for managing its own affairs, adding that the APC remained focused on governance and strengthening its own internal structures rather than orchestrating crises elsewhere.
“The suggestion that the APC is sleeping opposition parties is not correct. Political parties have constitutions, leadership structures and internal mechanisms for resolving their issues. Whatever challenges they are experiencing are matters for them to address,” he said.
The APC chairman argued that opposition parties should look inward instead of attributing their internal disagreements and defections to the ruling party.
He maintained that political competition in a democracy should be based on ideas, programmes and the ability of parties to organise themselves effectively.
Etta further stated that the APC’s growing acceptance in Cross River State was a product of public confidence in the administration of Governor Bassey Otu and the performance of elected officials on the party’s platform, rather than any strategy to weaken political opponents.
He noted that the ruling party remained open to welcoming individuals who voluntarily chose to join its fold, stressing that such decisions were made by the individuals concerned and not through coercion.
“We cannot stop people from making political choices. If individuals decide to leave one party for another because they believe it aligns with their aspirations, that is their constitutional right,” he said.
The party chairman also urged journalists to continue reporting political developments objectively and avoid narratives capable of misrepresenting democratic competition in the state.
He reaffirmed the APC’s commitment to strengthening democratic institutions, promoting issue-based politics and providing effective leadership to the people of Cross River State.
The town hall meeting formed part of the party’s engagement with media practitioners on governance, public policy and political developments in the state ahead of the 2027 electoral cycle.
