Reported by: Ijeoma G | Edited by: Oravbiere Osayomore Promise.
Cross River State Deputy Governor, Dr Peter Odey, narrowly escaped injury on Sunday, August 9, 2026, when his official convoy was involved in a road accident in Ugep, Yakurr Local Government Area, marking the third such incident involving his convoy in just two months. The accident occurred at about 2 p.m. as Odey and his entourage were returning to Calabar from Obanliku Local Government Area, where they had attended a stakeholders' engagement on the proposed concession of the Obudu Ranch Resort. According to reports, a Government House press bus conveying appointees and staff of the Office of the Deputy Governor veered off its lane near an Army checkpoint in Ugep and crashed into three sandbag barricades.
While the deputy governor's condition could not be independently confirmed at the time of reporting, several members of his convoy were reportedly injured in the crash. One person, whose identity was not immediately known, sustained a leg injury, while another was seen bleeding from the nose. The extent of their injuries remained unclear pending medical assessment. Several vehicles in the convoy were also damaged, although the precise number and severity of the damage could not be independently verified.
The incident has raised fresh concerns about the condition and availability of vehicles attached to the Office of the Deputy Governor. Sources indicated that the fleet assigned to the deputy governor's office had become depleted, forcing officials to rely on vehicles from the governor's convoy when necessary. The accident is reportedly the third involving Odey's convoy in the past two months, prompting questions about the safety and maintenance of vehicles used for official movements. Officials in the Office of the Deputy Governor declined to comment on the incident when contacted, leaving important questions about the cause of the crash and the condition of those injured unanswered.
The convoy was returning from Obanliku, where Odey and other government officials had attended a stakeholders' engagement concerning the proposed concession of the Obudu Ranch Resort. The resort has become an important part of Governor Bassey Edet Otu's tourism and investment agenda, with officials presenting the facility as a potential driver of tourism, investment and economic diversification. In July 2026, Odey had represented Governor Otu during engagements with foreign defence advisers and defence attachés visiting Obudu, where Cross River officials promoted the area's tourism potential and wider investment prospects.
The latest crash comes against a wider backdrop of road-safety concerns in Cross River State. In May 2025, Odey visited survivors of a separate fatal road accident involving tourists returning from the Obudu area, which killed six people and injured seven others. During that hospital visit, Odey assured victims of government support and called for stronger attention to safety along tourism corridors. As Chairman of the Cross River State Boundary Committee, Odey has also recently urged the National Boundary Commission to intensify boundary demarcation efforts to reduce recurring disputes and strengthen peaceful coexistence. Governor Otu has previously relied on Odey to oversee state affairs during periods when the governor was away, including a three-week annual leave in March 2025.
As authorities continue to assess the incident and those injured await medical evaluation, the accident has once again highlighted the vulnerabilities of Nigeria's political convoy system and the urgent need for improved vehicle maintenance and road safety protocols for government officials.
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