The Cross River State Commissioner for Information and Orientation, Pst Ekpenyong Cobham, on Monday demanded that PDP Cross River’s Sir Arthur Jarvis and his media team retract a press release and apologise within 48 hours or face possible legal action by the state government.
Cobham made the demand while briefing journalists at the Nigeria Union of Journalists Press Centre in Calabar.
He said the press release falsely claimed that the paramount ruler of Calabar South, HRH Etubom Nyong Effiom Okon, had been instructed by Governor Bassey Otu not to receive Jarvis, a factional candidate of the opposition Peoples Democratic Party.
According to the commissioner, the publication was a figment of the imagination and an insult to the person and office of the governor.
Cobham stated that he met the paramount ruler, who allegedly denied receiving any such directive from the governor. He added that the traditional ruler showed him a reply from Jarvis in which the latter apologised and directed that the press release be taken down.
“It is an absolute insult to malign the character, the name, and the personality of His Excellency for an issue which is a figment of the imagination,” Cobham said.
“There is no basis for the governor of Cross River State to feel any itch from whatever sludge funds that they have emitted out of their personal endeavours.”
The commissioner said the state government was giving Jarvis and his media crew 48 hours to retract the press release and issue an apology, failing which the governor might take legal action.
