2027: Peter Obi's wave gone, no opposition in Cross River - Oluohu

A chieftain of the All Progressives Congress, APC, in Cross River State, Hon. Gabriel Bravo Oluohu, has declared that opposition parties face an almost impossible task in defeating the ruling party in the state ahead of the 2027 general elections.

Oluohu, a former Supervisory Councillor for Finance, Budget and Investment at the Abuja Municipal Area Council, AMAC, argued that the APC has strengthened its political influence in Cross River, leaving opposition parties with little chance of securing electoral victories.

Speaking to journalists in Abuja on Saturday, the politician also claimed that the popularity of Peter Obi, presidential candidate of the Nigerian Democratic Congress, NDC, has declined in the state, alleging that several of his former supporters, including some legislators, have moved to the APC.

“Before, it was Peter Obi’s wave, but now action speaks louder than words,” he said.

Oluohu, who serves as Chairman of Strategic Communications for the Northern Senatorial District in the state campaign council, expressed confidence that President Bola Tinubu would secure victory in Cross River State.

According to him, the president’s electoral success in the state would become evident before 1 pm on election day.

He dismissed the strength of opposition parties in Cross River, describing their activities as attempts to attract public attention rather than evidence of genuine political influence.

“For any opposition to win an election in Cross River State other than APC, it will be as difficult as using a wooden ladder to climb to heaven,” the APC chieftain told reporters in Abuja at the weekend.

He further likened opposition politicians in the state to butterflies that mistakenly consider themselves birds, arguing that they lack the political capacity to challenge the APC.

Describing their chances of winning elections as slim, he stated that “they have no position to win. They are just deceiving themselves.”

Oluohu also questioned the existence of the coalition reportedly being discussed by opposition figures ahead of the 2027 elections, accusing some politicians of using the idea to attract attention in anticipation of political appointments.

“Some of them are just seeking unnecessary attention ahead of 2027 appointments with the word coalition to deceive the gullible few, a coalition that does not actually exist in the state,” he said.

To support his position, the APC chieftain recalled the previous electoral strength of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, in Cross River, when the opposition reportedly had three senators, two former governors and five members of the House of Representatives.

Despite that political advantage, he argued, the PDP and other opposition forces failed to defeat the APC in the governorship election or secure significant elective positions in the Southern and Central Senatorial Districts.

He subsequently questioned how opposition parties could expect to perform better in 2027 when, according to him, they no longer have serving senators, former governors, or other influential political officeholders in the state.

“Is it now that they don’t have any sitting senator, no former governor, or reasonable position?” he asked.

Using an analogy to reinforce his argument, Oluohu added that, “a river that can not flow in the rainy season can’t flow in the dry season, so they can not get anything.”

Turning his attention to the PDP’s governorship ticket, the APC chieftain described the party’s candidate as an unserious politician who, he alleged, relies on raising false alarms and lacks the political structure required to win an election.

He claimed that the PDP candidate would struggle to secure even a local government chairmanship position.

Oluohu also criticised the PDP’s deputy governorship candidate, comparing him to a hunter who returns home carrying a goat.

Explaining the comparison, he argued that a goat is a domestic animal and suggested that any hunter found returning with one must have stolen it.