From Musa Muhammad Kutama, Calabar
Eleven aggrieved members of the Cross River State House of Assembly have visited the national office of Relax Tinubu Is Fixing Nigeria, where they held a strategic meeting with Hon. Innocent Egede, the organisation’s National Director of Strategic Deployment and Implementation.
The delegation, led by the House Majority Leader, Rt. Hon. Francis Asuquo, reportedly reaffirmed its support for President Bola Ahmed Tinubu but expressed reservations about extending the same level of political support to other All Progressives Congress (APC) candidates in the state, including Governor Bassey Edet Otu.
The lawmakers’ grievances were reportedly linked to concerns about their exclusion from the party’s ticket arrangements for the forthcoming elections.
Some are seeking a third term in the House, while others are seeking a second term.
According to the report, the lawmakers believe they should also have the opportunity to seek re-election, particularly as Governor Otu is pursuing a second term.
During the meeting, Egede, who advocates the re-election of President Tinubu and Governor Otu, appealed to the lawmakers to reconsider their position and work collectively for all APC candidates in Cross River State.
He emphasised the importance of party unity, strategic coordination and electoral cooperation, warning that divisions within the party could undermine its overall performance at the polls and potentially affect the President’s electoral prospects in the state.
Egede reiterated that the movement was targeting 600,000 votes for President Tinubu in Cross River State, stressing the need for a united political structure capable of mobilising support across all constituencies.
Following the meeting, Egede led the lawmakers to meet with Hon. Bala Ahmed, Director-General of Relax Tinubu Is Fixing Nigeria. Ahmed also appealed to the legislators to reconsider their position and remain aligned with the broader electoral objectives of the APC.
As part of efforts to address their grievances and strengthen grassroots mobilisation, Ahmed reportedly pledged to integrate the lawmakers into the operational structure of the movement’s national organisation, subject to the directive of Barr. Seyi Tinubu, identified in the report as the movement’s chief founder.
The engagement was presented as an effort to address internal political disagreements, reconcile aggrieved party stakeholders and consolidate support for President Tinubu and the APC ahead of the forthcoming elections.
Other Lawmakers in Attendance
The other members of the delegation were:
Rt. Hon. Dr. Davies Etta — Deputy Leader, Abi State Constituency.
Hon. Egbe Abeng Egbe — Obubra II State Constituency.
Hon. Ovat Dickson Agbor — Obubra I State Constituency.
Hon. Ashakia Puis Ashaks — Obanliku State Constituency.
Hon. Victor Nsa — Calabar South II State Constituency.
Hon. Bassey Effiong Bassey — Akpabuyo State Constituency.
Hon. Eyo Bassey — Bakassi State Constituency.
Hon. Okon Nyong Ewona — Akamkpa I State Constituency.
Hon. Mercy Akpama — Yakurr II State Constituency.
Hon. Kingsley Ntui — Etung State Constituency.
The meeting highlighted the role of political dialogue and stakeholder engagement in addressing grievances within party structures and coordinating grassroots mobilisation ahead of the forthcoming elections.
