Ukorebi Esien | October 5th, 2026
CALABAR—The Cross River State Government has faulted the governorship candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Sir Arthur Jarvis Archibong, and the party over claims surrounding the disruption of its campaign activities in Calabar South, giving them 48 hours to retract an earlier publication and apologise to Governor Bassey Otu or face possible legal action.
Commissioner for Information and Orientation, Pastor Ekpenyong Cobham, stated this on Monday during a press briefing in Calabar, where he addressed recent political developments and the controversy surrounding the PDP's consultative activities in Calabar South.
Cobham challenged the account linking the violence to the All Progressives Congress (APC), saying the government's understanding of the incident pointed instead to internal disagreements within the PDP and its factions.
He said the government had examined information from stakeholders and questioned the claim that the incident was orchestrated by APC supporters.
According to him, there was no camera evidence he had seen showing an APC member at the centre of the violence, while he alleged that the incident was connected to disagreements within the opposition party.
The Commissioner also dismissed as unfounded a separate publication attributed to Archibong alleging that Governor Otu had instructed the Paramount Ruler of Calabar South not to receive the PDP candidate.
Cobham said he personally contacted the Paramount Ruler, who, according to him, denied receiving such an instruction from the governor. He further claimed that Archibong subsequently apologised and indicated that the publication should be taken down.
The government consequently demanded the retraction of the publication and an unreserved apology to the governor, warning that failure to comply within 48 hours could lead to legal action by the Attorney-General and Commissioner for Justice. The government also said the apology should be published in national newspapers.
However, the PDP's account of the October 2 incident differs sharply from that of the government.
Archibong had alleged that suspected hoodlums believed to be supporters of the APC disrupted the party's consultation in Calabar South, with the incident reportedly occurring at the palace of the Paramount Ruler and later at the African Club along Calabar Road.
He said three persons were injured during the disturbance at the palace and were taken to hospital for treatment, while vehicles belonging to members of the PDP consultative team were allegedly damaged during the subsequent incident.
Reports of the incident also said the PDP had notified the police ahead of the consultation and expected security coverage for the exercise. The APC, however, denied responsibility for the violence.
The government did not accept the PDP's attribution of the incident to APC supporters, with Cobham insisting that the circumstances surrounding the violence required a different interpretation.
The Commissioner also raised concerns about the use of social media during the political period, warning that misleading and politically motivated information could further heighten tensions. He said the government was concerned about misinformation and disinformation circulating online.
The competing accounts have placed the circumstances surrounding the Calabar South incident at the centre of an emerging political dispute, with the PDP alleging an attack on its campaign activities and the state government rejecting the APC attribution.
As of the time of the briefing, the government had issued its 48-hour demand for retraction and apology, while warning that legal proceedings could follow if the demand was not met.
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