Cross River PDP opens doors to APC members ahead of 2027
- Cross River PDP governorship candidate Arthur Jarvis says the party will launch a Rainbow Coalition.
- The party has confirmed Francis Bullem as substantive state chairman after Venatius Ikem resigned.
- Bullem pledged reconciliation and inclusiveness as the PDP rebuilds for the 2027 elections.
The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Cross River State says it is opening its doors to members of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC), as it prepares for the 2027 elections.
The party's governorship candidate, Arthur Jarvis, announced the plan on Friday at the swearing-in of the PDP's new state chairman, Dr Francis Bullem. He said the party would soon launch what he called a Rainbow Coalition.
"The windows of defection are open to our brothers in APC. That window of defection is open to everybody," Jarvis said, according to The Sun. He said a PDP government in 2027 would be "a party for Cross Riverians", not a closed club.
New chairman pledges to heal wounds
Bullem's emergence follows the resignation of former chairman Venatius Ikem, who stepped down on October 16 citing internal divisions and leadership problems. The party's State Secretary, Joe Obi Bisong, said the State Working Committee adopted Bullem as a replacement under Article 47 of the PDP constitution, with the new chairman drawn from the same zone as his predecessor.
A communiqué signed by State Publicity Secretary Mike Ojisi said the State Executive Committee formally accepted Ikem's resignation and ratified Bullem at a meeting on Thursday at its secretariat in Calabar.
In his acceptance speech, Bullem offered an olive branch to those who backed other candidates. "We are one party and there is room for everyone," he said. He promised to lead with integrity and to rebuild the party ahead of 2027.
The same communiqué endorsed the Rainbow Coalition being promoted by the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike, and recognised him as the party's national leader, according to Naija News.
Thuggery warning
Jarvis also raised concerns about political violence in the state. He alleged that some young people were being paid to attack visitors, and said Cross River, once known for its peace, had become "a theatre for thuggery".
The party's State Executive Committee said it had noted repeated attacks on PDP members and opposition supporters during political activities, and called for an environment free of intimidation.
The allegations have not been independently verified, and no one has been named or charged.
What happens next: The PDP says it will formally launch the Rainbow Coalition. With the 2027 governorship race approaching, the party is trying to present a united front and pull in supporters from the APC, which controls the state.
