By Kelvin Obambon
The African Democratic Congress (ADC) Coalition Movement in Cross River State has issued a scathing assessment of the ongoing oil well dispute between Cross River and Akwa Ibom States, describing the situation as a manifestation of “greed” and a glaring failure of the All Progressives Congress (APC) leadership at the federal level.
In a press statement released on Sunday February 22, 2026, the movement’s convener, Austine Ibok, accused the Akwa Ibom State Government of unfair treatment toward its “mother state.” The coalition argued that the continued deprivation of Cross River’s economic assets is an act of selfishness that undermines the historical brotherhood between the two South-South neighbours.
A central theme of the statement is the coalition’s condemnation of the Federal Government. Despite both Cross River and Akwa Ibom being under APC administration, the ADC Coalition expressed disappointment that a “sincere political solution” has not been deployed to resolve the lingering crisis.
“It is disappointing that, despite shared political alignment, the Federal Government has not demonstrated the leadership, neutrality, and statesmanship required to achieve an amicable resolution,” the statement read. The movement noted that this federal inaction has directly resulted in prolonged economic hardship, particularly within Bakassi local government and other affected border communities.
While the ADC Coalition remains ideologically opposed to the ruling party, they offered rare commendation for the current Governor of Cross River State, Prince Bassey Edet Otu. The group praised his “ruggedness and unwavering determination” in the pursuit of recovering lost assets, specifically citing the 76 disputed oil wells and the Tinapa Business Resort.
However, the praise came with a political caveat. The coalition urged the Governor to distance himself from the APC to avoid the “bandwagon effect” of the rising ADC influence, reiterating their intent to “vote APC out everywhere” in the 2027 general elections.
The statement affirms that the struggle for resource control transcends partisan lines. The ADC Coalition therefore called upon traditional rulers and civil society organizations, youths and women’s groups and Cross Riverians in the diaspora to unite behind the state’s effort to reclaim its economic rights, framing the dispute as a “collective fight for justice and the future of our children.”
Looking ahead to the next election cycle, the ADC Coalition positioned the African Democratic Congress as the only viable alternative capable of restoring the dignity of Cross River State. They promised that an ADC-led federal government would prioritize fairness and dialogue over the current impasse.
“The time has come for decisive change,” Ibok concluded, signaling that the oil well dispute will likely remain a central pillar of the political discourse leading into 2027.
