Deputy Governor of Cross River State, Dr. Peter Odey, has stated that opposition parties in the state have been significantly weakened and are now struggling to remain relevant. He attributed their decline to the outstanding performance and inclusive leadership of Governor Bassey Otu.

Dr. Odey made this remark while representing the Governor at a high-profile defection ceremony held at U.J. Esuene Stadium in Calabar. During the event, three major opposition figures officially joined the All Progressives Congress (APC), the ruling party in the state.

Among those who switched allegiance to the APC were Lady Emana Duke Ambrose-Amawhe, the PDP’s 2023 Deputy Governorship candidate; Rt. Hon. Daniel Asuquo, a former three-term federal lawmaker representing Akamkpa/Biase; and Professor Edde Iji, the PRP State Chairman. They were accompanied by hundreds of supporters.

Odey highlighted the governor’s achievements across multiple sectors—such as infrastructure, economic development, healthcare, education, agriculture, and security—as key reasons for the growing support for the APC and the weakening of opposition parties.

“Governor Otu’s inclusive style of governance has not only elevated the standard of living in the state but has also dismantled the opposition’s base across Cross River,” Odey emphasized.

Also speaking at the event, APC State Secretary Pastor Patrick Asikpo Okon credited the wave of defections to effective grassroots mobilization and sustained political outreach, which he referred to as “political evangelism.”

He applauded the new members for their bold step in joining what he described as a rapidly expanding political movement under Governor Otu’s leadership.

The event marks a significant moment in the state’s political landscape, signaling further consolidation of power by the APC ahead of future electoral contests.