Rally: APC Mobilizes C’River for Tinubu as party Insists on massive Turnout

From Ene Asuquo, Calabar

The All Progressives Congress (APC) in Cross River State has intensified mobilization ahead of Monday’s presidential rally in Calabar, declaring its readiness to stage a massive political gathering in support of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s re-election bid.

The state chairman of the party, Hon. Chris Etta, gave the assurance while responding to questions on the level of preparedness for the rally scheduled to hold at the Calabar Stadium on November 2, 2026.

Etta said the party was putting finishing touches to arrangements to ensure a successful outing, describing the event as an opportunity for Cross River State to demonstrate its support for the Tinubu administration.

Addressing concerns over the President’s ongoing trip to Mecca, Saudi Arabia, for the lesser Hajj (Umrah), the APC chairman insisted that the rally would proceed as scheduled, irrespective of whether Tinubu would be physically present.

“The President we know has gone to Mecca. The President will be here; if he is not here, it doesn’t change anything. The rally must go on. It is the party that is on the ballot,” he said.

He explained that the President might require time to rest following the spiritual exercise, stressing that his absence, if it occurred, would not affect the party’s commitment to the programme.

“We are doing our best, crossing the t’s and dotting the i’s to make sure we give you one of the best rallies ever. The venue remains the stadium,” Etta added.

The APC chairman called on Cross Riverians, irrespective of their political affiliations, to turn out in large numbers for the rally, declaring that the state had no alternative to supporting Tinubu’s second-term ambition.

He particularly appealed to opposition parties to put aside their political differences and rally behind the President, arguing that the state’s collective interest should take precedence over partisan considerations.

“We in Cross River say we have no alternative. We must stand with the President, even opposition parties. They should bury their opposition for the sake of Cross River State,” he said.

Etta attributed the party’s support for Tinubu to what he described as the President’s responsiveness to the developmental needs of Cross River State, citing several federal projects and interventions as evidence of the administration’s commitment to the state.

Among the projects he highlighted was the Calabar axis of the Lagos-Calabar Coastal Highway, which he said was ongoing, as well as the proposed Bakassi Deep Seaport, whose funding, according to him, had been guaranteed, with its groundbreaking ceremony scheduled for November 13.

He also listed the siting of the Gulf of Guinea Commission secretariat in Cross River, the Extended Continental Shelf Commission, the Bakassi Development Commission and the provision of 46 rice mills among the interventions he attributed to the President’s Renewed Hope Agenda.

According to him, the proposed deep seaport, alongside its evacuation corridor, would open up the state’s economy, stimulate commercial activities, attract investments and create employment opportunities for residents.

He maintained that the projects, when fully realised, would significantly improve the economic fortunes of the state and provide sustainable livelihoods for its people.

On the prevailing economic challenges, the APC chieftain urged Nigerians to remain patient with the Federal Government, arguing that the reforms introduced by the Tinubu administration were beginning to produce positive results.

He claimed that the naira, which had depreciated to about N1,900 to the dollar at a point, had recovered to approximately N1,320, while inflation had declined from about 45 per cent to 15.8 per cent.

Etta further claimed that food prices were gradually moderating, citing the declining cost of preparing popular meals such as jollof rice as an indication of easing household expenses.

He also pointed to government interventions involving gas-powered vehicles, solar-powered buses and measures by the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPCL) to manage petroleum prices as efforts aimed at cushioning the effects of economic reforms.

The APC chairman urged residents, party supporters and other stakeholders across the state to participate in Monday’s rally, describing it as an opportunity to demonstrate solidarity with President Tinubu and his administration.