Reported by: Oahimire Omone Precious | Edited by: Oravbiere Osayomore Promise.
The political landscape of Cross River State has been thrown into sharp relief following a blistering press conference by the former chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in the state, Alphonsus Ogar Eba, who levelled a string of serious allegations against the administration of Governor Bassey Otu, including fraud, diversion of public assets, and the awarding of government contracts to associates. Eba, who is now the deputy governorship candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) for the 2027 election, made the allegations at the Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ) Press Centre in Calabar on Wednesday, August 12, 2026.
Speaking to journalists, Eba, who served as APC chairman during the administration of former Governor Ben Ayade and continued into the first two years of Otu's tenure, alleged that the governor had converted a federal government rubber estate, established in the 1950s under former Eastern Region Premier Sir Michael Okpara, into a private oil palm estate. “I have the records and evidence about how Governor Bassey Otu has converted the rubber estate established by Michael Okpara to his private oil palm estate,” Eba declared.
He further alleged that Governor Otu and his wife, Bishop Eyoanwan Otu, had acquired several properties across the state since assuming office. Eba also claimed that several projects being executed by the state government were fraudulent or deceptive and had been awarded to persons connected to the administration. He said these alleged practices were among the reasons he left the APC for the opposition PDP.
In a significant accusation, Eba also alleged that the governor was frustrating an intervention by the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC) for the construction of the Adiabo road in Otu's community, a project he claimed was attracted by Senator Asuquo Ekpenyong, who represents Cross River Southern Senatorial District.
These allegations come amid a backdrop of escalating political tension. Just weeks earlier, Eba’s residence in the Water Board Estate, Calabar, was marked for demolition by the Cross River State Planning and Development Control Taskforce. A demolition notice bearing the reference number CRS/PDCT/043 was pasted on the property, directing that all activities cease immediately. Eba has described the move as a politically motivated witch-hunt by the Otu administration. He told The Punch that while he was instrumental in Otu’s emergence as governor, he has now been paid in “bad coin”. “There should be no politics with decency. They are crossing the line of decency by whatever threat they are trying to issue,” Eba said, adding that even if his house is destroyed, “my soul would be on the ballot”.
In a swift rebuttal, the governor’s Special Adviser on Public Affairs, Gill Nsa, dismissed the allegations as “false and politically motivated”. Nsa argued that Eba's accusations were driven by his fallout with the governor and that he lacked the credibility to accuse the administration of wrongdoing. He pointed out that Eba was removed from the APC leadership after the state working committee and local government chairmen passed a vote of no confidence in him over alleged financial impropriety and failure to account for members' entitlements. On the Adiabo road project, Nsa clarified that the work was divided into two components, with the state handling the major section while the NDDC was responsible for another part. He noted that NDDC officials had inspected the project and commended the state government’s intervention.
The accusations and counter-accusations underscore the deep political divisions in Cross River State as the 2027 governorship election approaches. Eba's defection to the PDP and his decision to run as deputy to Sir Arthur Jarvis Archibong have made him a vocal critic of his former party and the governor he once helped to power. The unfolding drama, involving allegations of property grabbing, fraudulent contracts, and a politically motivated demolition, sets the stage for a fierce electoral battle in which accountability and performance will be central themes.
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