The All Progressives Congress (APC) Senatorial Candidate for Cross River Central, Hon. Oden Ibiang Ewa, on Thursday, November 5, 2026, officially welcomed hundreds of defectors from Abi Local Government Area and other parts of the district into the APC.
The defectors, drawn from various political wards across Abi, gathered at Ugep for the official reception, as part of the party’s intensified mobilisation ahead of the 2027 general elections.
Speaking at the event, Hon. Ewa assured the new members of equal rights and opportunities within the party structure. He said he was receiving them on behalf of the Abi chapter chairman and all ward chairmen, who would now work with them.
“We accept you wholeheartedly. I am doing this on behalf of our chapter chairman and on behalf of all ward chairmen, who will now interface with you, going forward to give you the necessary guidance on how progressives operate,” Ewa said. “We don’t say you came today, or you came yesterday, or old or new members. Now that you have come, we assure you of equal rights and opportunity in the party.”
The APC senatorial candidate described the party as the only platform focused on genuine progress and change, linking the mass defection to ongoing development efforts in Cross River State. He specifically indicated efforts to recover the state’s oil wells as part of ongoing efforts to grow the economy of the state.
Urging the defectors to reject delayed promises and embrace immediate opportunity, Hon. Ewa said: “Your future is now. We no longer want business as usual. We want to send people who have what it takes to represent us. You have to be able to go and create value for thousands of these young people here. We should all take this election seriously. Vote Tinubu, vote Sweet Prince Otu and all APC members five over five.”
He further contrasted the APC with opposition parties, arguing that the opposition lacked stability and leadership structure following the recent defection of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) state chairman.
“Their chairman of the other party just left the party. Does that even show people who are organised? This is time for serious governance,” he said.
Hon. Ewa called on the defectors and the wider electorate to support APC candidates at all levels, urging them to re-elect the president and governor alongside candidates contesting for legislative seats across the district.
The reception was graced by Rt. Hon. John Gaul Lebo, APC House of Representatives Candidate for Abi/Yakurr Federal Constituency, the Yakurr Local Government Council Chairman, Yibala Inyang, and other key stakeholders.
