PDP candidate accepts debate challenge, calls Otu 'absentee governor'

Arthur Jarvis Archibong, the Peoples Democratic Party governorship candidate in Cross River State, has accepted a challenge to debate incumbent Governor Bassey Otu ahead of the 2027 election, while intensifying his criticism of the governor's frequent absences from the state. Archibong stated on Tuesday, August 25, 2026, in Calabar that he would participate in a debate at any time and venue, on the condition that Governor Otu attends in person.

The challenge was issued by the state Commissioner for Information, Ekpenyong Cobham. In response, Archibong said he would not engage in a verbal exchange with the commissioner. "Pastor Cobham is my brother. But he is not on the ballot, so I will not join issues with him," he stated. The candidate emphasized that voters deserve to hear directly from those seeking to lead them.

Archibong's debate acceptance came alongside renewed allegations that Governor Otu is an "absentee governor." He first made this claim at a press conference two weeks prior, asserting that Otu spends fewer than ten days in Cross River State each month, spending more than twenty days outside the state, either abroad or in Abuja. Archibong alleged that governance is...