Tag: ipac

By BANNERNEWS Reporter, Calabar

The Inter-Party Advisory Council (IPAC), Cross River State chapter, has called on the state’s representatives in the National Assembly to protect its interests in the ongoing issues surrounding disputed oil wells.

State Chairman of IPAC, Engr. Effiom Edet Okon, made the call in a statement issued on Thursday, stressing the economic importance of the oil wells to Cross River.

Okon urged senators and members of the House of Representatives representing the state to adopt a common position on issues affecting Cross River’s economic interests.

According to him, actions and legislative engagements concerning the oil wells should be guided by constitutional responsibility, equity and the welfare of the people.

The IPAC chairman also called for greater accountability and proactive engagement by the state’s federal lawmakers in matters concerning Cross River’s resources.

He appealed to the President of the Senate, Godswill Akpabio, and other public officials to exercise caution when commenting publicly on issues relating to Cross River’s territorial and economic interests.

Okon said public statements by senior officials carried significant weight and should not create tension between neighbouring states or communities.

He said Cross River’s tradition of peaceful coexistence and hospitality should not be interpreted as compromising its interests or claims over its resources.

The IPAC chairman said the council would continue to support dialogue and peaceful democratic engagement in resolving issues affecting the state.

The statement comes as federal authorities have reopened the verification of disputed and newly drilled oil and gas wells, with a reconstituted Inter-Agency Technical Committee mandated to examine the locations and coordinates of wells drilled from 2017 to date.

By BANNERNEWS Reporter, Calabar

The Cross River State chapter of the Inter-Party Advisory Council (IPAC) has denied claims that political parties in the state receive monthly subventions from the administration of Governor Bassey Otu, describing the allegation as false and misleading.

In a disclaimer signed by the state IPAC Chairman, Effiom Edet Okon, the council faulted a June 11, 2026 publication which alleged that the state government maintains a monthly financial support arrangement with political parties through IPAC.

According to the council, neither IPAC nor any registered political party in Cross River State has received any form of monthly or continuous subvention from the government at any time.

The body clarified that the only financial interventions received were three isolated and non-recurring disbursements made in June, September and December 2025. It stressed that the payments did not constitute a standing policy or a regular monthly arrangement.

“Any claim suggesting a steady or continuous payment structure is false, misleading and a gross misrepresentation of facts,” the statement said.

IPAC also addressed claims regarding its secretariat, dismissing reports that its office operates from a mere two-bedroom apartment.

The council maintained that its secretariat is a well-furnished and functional facility made possible through the support of Governor Otu, adding that the gesture has improved its operational capacity.

The council warned media organisations, political actors and individuals against spreading what it described as falsehoods capable of misleading the public and undermining democratic institutions in the state.

It further challenged anyone with evidence of a monthly subvention arrangement to make such information public, insisting that failure to do so would reinforce its position that the allegation was unfounded.

Reaffirming its mandate, IPAC said it remains a neutral statutory advisory body committed to strengthening democracy, promoting peaceful political engagement and supporting good governance in Cross River State.

The special adviser on inter-party affairs to Governor Otu, Nkoyo Otu while briefing journalists when the Forum of Special Advisers had disclosed that IPAC was receiving monthly Subventions from the Otu administration.

She insisted that, as a result, there has been peace and harmony amongst political parties in the state, maintaining that “This is the first time this is happening.

“The governor regularly pays subventions to the political parties. This has contributed to prevalent peace amongst politicians and their parties”, she said.