N5m court scandal: Eba Offers N50m bounty to challenge Edim’s allegation

From Ene Asuquo, Calabar

The Deputy Governorship Candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Cross River State, Alphonsus Ogar Eba, has challenged former PDP State Chairman, Ntufam Edim Inok Edim, to provide evidence to support his allegation that he diverted N5 million meant to prosecute an election petition, offering a N50 million bounty if the claim is substantiated.

The exchange followed a viral video in which Edim accused Eba, a former chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in the state, of allegedly diverting the money provided by the state government to assist him in pursuing an election case at the Court of Appeal about three years ago.

Edim, who contested the Ogoja/Yala Federal Constituency seat in the 2023 general election but lost to Labour Party candidate, Hon. Bassey Akiba, reportedly made the allegation at a political gathering in Calabar during the weekend.

In the video circulating on social media, the former PDP chairman claimed that the money was released to support his legal battle but was allegedly misappropriated by Eba.

“When I had a court case, I went to the Appeal Court. The little sum of money the state gave me to assist me at the Court of Appeal was N5,000,000. Alphonsus Eba embezzled the money,” Edim alleged.

However, Eba, reacting to the allegation in a telephone conversation on Monday, dismissed it as false and challenged Edim to identify the source of the money and provide evidence showing that it passed through him.

He described the allegation as baseless and questioned the circumstances surrounding the purported transaction.

“Just to let you know, there is never anything like that. It’s false. It is the most stupid thing ever exhibited by an adult. Who gave the money? Through which accounts?” Eba asked.

The PDP deputy governorship candidate further challenged Edim to produce documentary evidence establishing that the state government released the money and that he received or handled it.

Eba also offered N50 million to Edim if he could substantiate the allegation with evidence identifying the person who released the money and demonstrating that it was routed through him.

He attributed the accusation to political frustration and desperation ahead of the 2027 general election, although he did not provide evidence to substantiate that interpretation.

The exchange has brought the alleged N5 million transaction into public discussion, with the two politicians presenting conflicting accounts of the purported financial assistance.

As of the time of filing this report, no documentary evidence establishing the alleged payment or its purported diversion had been provided in the information available. Edim’s response to Eba’s challenge was also not included in the account.

The allegation and counter-denial come as political activities gather momentum ahead of the 2027 general election, with rival political figures increasingly engaging in public exchanges over past events and political relationships.