The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) candidate for the Ikom/Boki Federal Constituency in the 2027 general election, Mr. Pius Abang, has accused the Cross River State Government of using political appointees to intimidate and frustrate his aspiration for the House of Representatives.

Abang, who spoke in a telephone interview on Wednesday, alleged that appointees of the All Progressives Congress (APC)-led administration had been deployed to harass, blackmail and discredit opposition voices in Boki Local Government Area.

He specifically named Engr. Kelvin Njong, the APC Chairman in Boki Local Government Area and a member of the Cross River State Forestry Commission Board, alleging that remarks made recently by one of Njong’s aides against his aspiration were aimed at intimidating him and heating up the polity.

The PDP candidate also dissociated himself from the communal crisis involving Iso-Bendeghe and the neighbouring communities of Nsadop, Katabang and Njua, describing attempts to link him to the conflict as false and mischievous.

“I have no hand in the communal crisis that affected Iso-Bendeghe and its neighbouring communities, and it is mischievous for any government appointee to associate me with it. Our people deserve development, not division and intimidation,” he said.

Abang further alleged that the state government was using its appointees to fuel tension in communities recovering from conflict in a bid to divert attention from what he described as its failure to deliver development projects in Boki.

He also criticised the government’s project implementation strategy, alleging that road and housing projects were being flagged off in parts of the Central and Northern Senatorial Districts at the peak of the rainy season when, according to him, meaningful construction work could hardly be carried out.

He called on the Ochibe Boki, the Boki Traditional Rulers Council and security agencies to caution political appointees against actions capable of undermining peace in the area.

Abang also challenged the state government to release statutory allocations to local government councils, arguing that adequate funding would enable them to improve primary healthcare, education and agriculture.

“You cannot intimidate an aspiration that is rooted in the people. Allow peace to reign and allow the people to freely choose,” he said.

Responding, the Publicity Secretary of the APC in Cross River State, Mr. Emmanuel Inyang dismissed the allegations, describing them as unfounded.

Inyang said the PDP candidate was merely expressing anxiety over his party’s chances in the constituency, insisting that the APC remained firmly in control ahead of the 2027 elections.

“The PDP candidate is jittery because the PDP is not on ground. We will sweep them out of the contest. They are simply afraid of failure. Can the candidate withstand our own candidate who is fully in charge of the constituency? The answer is no,” he said.