Efforts to reach Mr Effiom for a response were unsuccessful as of press time.
By TheInvestigator
Tensions within the Cross River State chapter of the Inter-Party Advisory Council (IPAC) escalated on Thursday as two political parties—the Young Progressives Party (YPP) and the Social Democratic Party (SDP)—formally dissociated themselves from the recent endorsement of Governor Bassey Otu for a second term in 2027.
The controversial endorsement, described by IPAC Chairman Mr Effiom Effiom (also of the All Peoples Party, APP) as a “Vote of Confidence,” has drawn sharp criticism from several quarters for allegedly breaching IPAC’s code of conduct and sidelining member parties.
In a strongly worded letter signed by Comrade Anthony Bissong Attah, Chairman of YPP in Cross River State, the party labeled the endorsement as “preposterous, undemocratic, premature, ill-timed, ill-intentioned, and therefore ill-fated.” The YPP accused Mr Effiom of consistently exhibiting “recklessness, greediness, and cluelessness” in his leadership and called on IPAC’s national leadership to dissolve the State Executive Council and install a caretaker team ahead of the next IPAC election.
Echoing similar sentiments, the SDP also issued a formal dissociation letter signed by its State Chairman, Dr Ekpenyong E Ambo. The party described the endorsement as “unauthorized, unendorsed, and unknown” to its leadership and condemned it as a blatant misuse of IPAC’s platform for personal political gain. The SDP accused the IPAC leadership of failing in its responsibility to promote inclusivity and mutual respect among political parties in the state.
Both parties jointly demanded the immediate dissolution of the IPAC Cross River State Executive Council, citing a loss of credibility and a deviation from IPAC’s core principles. The SDP further called for an independent investigation into the matter to restore public confidence.
Efforts to reach Mr Effiom for a response were unsuccessful as of press time.