By Ebi Collins
Stakeholders from Obubra Local Government Area of Cross River State have intensified calls for equity and fair political representation in the Cross River Central Senatorial District, insisting that the 2027 senate seat should be ceded to Obubra as the only local government area in the district yet to produce a senator since the return of democracy.
The stakeholders made the position known while speaking with journalists on the sidelines of the screening of aspirants in Abuja on Saturday, where they unanimously endorsed Endurance Okpa Agbor as the preferred candidate to occupy the Senate seat.
Speaking, Prince Oyama, State Ex-Officio 1 of the National Democratic Congress (NDC) in Cross River State, said the agitation for Obubra to produce the next senator was anchored on justice, fairness and political inclusion.
According to him, every other local government area in the Central Senatorial District has, at some point, produced a senator, leaving Obubra unfairly excluded despite its significant contributions to the political and socio-economic development of the district.
“Obubra remains the only local government area in Cross River Central that has never produced a senator. What we are asking for is fairness and equity. The time has come for the district to support Obubra in the spirit of justice and balanced representation,” Oyama stated.
He described Endurance Agbor as a competent, intellectually sound and globally exposed professional with the capacity to provide quality representation for the people of the district.
Also speaking, Douglas Akonjom, an NDC stalwart and community mobilizer, stated that the endorsement of Endurance Agbor was based on merit, competence, and his impressive professional profile.
He noted that Agbor’s experience across the legal, energy, technology, venture capital and housing sectors distinguished him as one of the most qualified aspirants in the race.
“Endurance Agbor has built a remarkable profile over the years. He has the exposure, network and leadership capacity needed to attract development and opportunities to Cross River Central. This is beyond politics; it is about giving the district effective representation,” Akonjom said.
On his part, Isek David Edoma, former Youth Leader, NDC chieftain and community mobiliser, maintained that the growing support for Obubra to produce the next senator reflected the collective aspirations of the people for inclusion after years of political marginalisation.
He described Agbor as a symbol of a new generation of leadership with the vision and competence to reposition the district for sustainable growth and development.
“Obubra has waited for decades while others have taken their turns. Our people believe this is the right time to correct that imbalance with a candidate who has the credentials, experience and passion to serve,” Edoma said.
The stakeholders highlighted Agbor’s professional background as an Energy and Natural Resources, Information Technology, Private Equity and Venture Capital, as well as Infrastructure and Construction Projects Lawyer, with experience from organisations including NNPC Limited, ǼLEX and WorleyParsons.
A First Class Law graduate of the University of Calabar, Agbor has also taught Oil and Gas Law at the institution since 2018 and is credited with championing several innovative initiatives in healthcare, housing, venture capital and real estate investment.
The stakeholders further pointed to his early leadership background, including his service as former Speaker of the Cross River State Children’s Parliament and Acting Speaker of the UNICEF Nigeria A-Field Zone Children’s Parliament, where he contributed to advocacy efforts that supported the domestication of the Child Rights Law in Cross River State.
They maintained that leaders and stakeholders from both Obubra and Etung local government areas were increasingly aligning on the need for political balance in the district, with a growing consensus that the Senate seat should go to Obubra while the House of Representatives position returns to Etung.
According to them, the arrangement would promote fairness, strengthen unity within the district and put an end to what they described as years of poor leadership, exclusion and political marginalisation in Cross River Central.
