By Nsan Ndoma-Neji, Calabar
The candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, for Ikom/Boki federal constituency, Hon. Pius Abang Besong, has cautioned against what he described as a sustained campaign of political intimidation and misinformation targeted at his aspiration ahead of the forthcoming 2027 elections.
Besong gave the admonition while speaking in a telephone conversation with our correspondent in Calabar, the Cross River State capital, expressing concern over recent statements credited to the Personal Assistant to Engr. Kelvin Njong, the chairman of the All Progressives Congress, APC, in Boki Local Government Area and a member of the Cross River State Forestry Commission Board.
He maintained that such reckless and inflammatory comments were capable of inflaming political tension and undermining ongoing efforts to sustain peace in the area.
The PDP candidate maintained that he had no involvement whatsoever in the communal crisis that affected Iso-Bendeghe and its neighbouring communities, insisting that attempts to associate or link him with the unfortunate incident were politically motivated and intended to diminish the goodwill and public confidence he has built over the years.
Further alleging that certain interests within the state’s political establishment were orchestrating campaigns of calumny against opposition voices in Boki, Besong, who is also a community leader, warned that democracy can only flourish where political competition is conducted with tolerance, civility and respect for the rule of law.
Abang appealed to Engr. Njong to prevail on those acting on his behalf to fan the ember of discord and political tension to refrain from statements or actions capable of deepening divisions within communities that are only beginning to recover from past conflicts.
Besong stressed that the residents and stakeholders of Iso-Bendeghe, Nsadop, Katabang and Njua have continued to express concerns over the rising political tension in the area, insisting that such concerns deserve careful attention rather than further politicisation.
Reiterating his commitment to peaceful democratic engagement, the House of Representatives hopeful called on the Ochibe Bokyi, the Traditional Rulers Council, security agencies and the Cross River State government to ensure that no individual or political group is allowed to undermine the prevailing peace or intimidate citizens exercising their constitutional rights.
He averred that the responsibility of the government is to unite communities, safeguard democratic freedoms and create an atmosphere where every citizen can freely participate in the political process without fear, harassment or intimidation.
Making reference to governance issues, Besong faulted what he described as the continued neglect of Boki in the implementation of key development projects by the state governemnt, arguing that the government should devote greater attention to addressing the developmental needs of the people than engaging in needless political distractions.
Questioning the Bassey Otu-led administration’s decision to flag off road projects and housing schemes across parts of the Central and Northern senatorial districts during the peak of the rainy season, Besong maintained that such initiatives would have greater impact if matched with sustained investment in grassroots governance and timely execution of projects.
The PDP standard bearer maintained that the surest path to winning the confidence of the people in the Central senatorial district lies in strengthening the local government administration through the prompt and full remittance of statutory allocations to the six local government councils in the district.
He said, “If the government truly wishes to make a good outing in the Central senatorial district, it should begin by remitting all statutory allocations due to the six local government area councils.”
The National Assembly candidates insisted that some local government councils receive monthly allocations in excess of ₦400 million, a figure he said would amount to several billions of naira over the remaining period of the administration if fully released and prudently managed.
He argued that empowering local governments with their full financial resources would significantly improve the delivery of infrastructure, primary healthcare, education, agriculture and other essential services at the grassroots, while strengthening public confidence in government.
He added, “Our people deserve development, not division. This is the time to concentrate on strengthening our communities, creating opportunities for our youths and restoring confidence in government.
“Political differences should never become an excuse for hostility or the weaponisation of public institutions.”
He further assured his supporters that no amount of political pressure or orchestrated smear campaign would distract him from pursuing an issue-based campaign founded on peace, accountability and service to the people of Ikom/Boki federal constituency.
Urging all political actors to embrace tolerance, reject inflammatory rhetoric and allow the electorate to freely determine their choice at the polls, he insisted that the future of Boki would be better secured through unity, responsible leadership and constructive political engagement rather than through actions capable of breeding unnecessary discord.
Reacting to the issue, the Publicity Secretary of the APC in Cross River State, Emmanuel Inyang, denied the allegations and asked the PDP candidate to reserve his energy for the 2027 contest rather than wasting the energy on baseless allegations.
