On Wednesday, the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) and other opposition leaders in Cross River State were thrown into disarray following the announcement of the local government election timeline by the Cross River State Independent Electoral Commission (CROSIEC).
The meeting, attended by party chairpersons or their representatives, members of the Inter-Party Advisory Council (IPAC), state security officials, the press, and other stakeholders, saw CROSIEC chairman Dr. Ekong Edet Boco announce that political parties have just one month to prepare for the election, scheduled for October 26, 2024.
PDP chairman Venatius Ikem criticised the election date, alleging that the rapid amendment of electoral laws and the sudden release of the timetable were orchestrated to favour the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC).
“As the primary opposition party, we cannot allow the ruling party to act with impunity. The rushed amendment of laws and arbitrary changes are undemocratic,” Ikem said.
He stressed that proper notice for elections should far exceed the minimum timeframe being imposed, arguing that calling for an election with only 30 days’ notice is unreasonable.
Ikem further declared that the PDP would favour a public protest over a boycott, asserting, “Boycotting is an acknowledgement of defeat.”
Effiom Edet Okon, chairman of the Inter-Party Advisory Council (IPAC), expressed a willingness to collaborate with CROSIEC to ensure a fair and credible election process.
Tensions escalated when Dr Ekpenyong Ambo, chairman of the Social Democratic Party (SDP) and chairman of the Local Government Election Management Committee (LGAEMC), IPAC, was interrupted by Ikem during his vote of thanks. This led to a loud altercation, with other party leaders urging Ikem to allow Ambo to finish his remarks.
Ikem objected to Ambo’s comments, accusing him of deviating from the agenda and making remarks that were implicitly derogatory towards the PDP.
Calm was eventually restored after CROSIEC’s chairman intervened to bring the situation under control.
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