At least five serving members of the National Assembly from Cross River State have lost their re-election bids following the conclusion of the All-Progressives Congress (APC) primaries ahead of the 2027 general elections.
The party’s primaries for both the Senate and House of Representatives were held between Saturday and Monday, producing a mix of returned lawmakers and fresh candidates across the state.
Cross River currently has 11 APC lawmakers in the National Assembly—comprising three senators and eight House of Representatives members. While all three senators secured return tickets through affirmation, the House of Representatives contests produced significant upsets.
Only three of the eight sitting House members who sought re-election succeeded in securing the party’s ticket. They include Joseph Bassey (Calabar South/Akpabuyo/Bakassi), Peter Akpanke (Obudu/Bekwarra/Obanliku), and Victor Abang (Ikom/Boki).
However, several incumbents failed in their re-election bids, including Emil Inyang (Biase/Akamkpa), Bassey Akiba (Calabar Municipality/Odukpani), Godwin Offiono (Yala/Ogoja), and Mike Etaba (Obubra/Etung), marking a major shake-up in the party’s legislative lineup in the state.
One of the affected lawmakers, Alex Egbona (Yakurr/Abi), had earlier defected to the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) before the primaries, effectively removing him from the APC contest.
In the Senate race, all three serving senators—Eteng Williams (Cross River Central), Jarigbe Agom-Jarigbe (Cross River North), and Asuquo Ekpenyong (Cross River South)—retained their party tickets through affirmation votes in their respective districts.
Reacting after securing his ticket, Senator Williams pledged continued focus on human capital development, noting his efforts in facilitating foreign scholarships for constituents.
I have sent over 36 people abroad to study. My priority is human capital development,” he said.
Senator Jarigbe Agom-Jarigbe also promised to sustain constituency-focused projects if re-elected, while Senator Ekpenyong said he would continue prioritising youth empowerment, infrastructure development, and policy reforms aimed at improving living standards in Cross River State.
The outcome reflects growing internal competition within the APC in Cross River, as the party positions itself ahead of the 2027 general elections.
