APC Lists Supreme Court Justice, Dead General And Magistrate As Party Stakeholders To Meet Gov. Otu

By Jonathan Ugbal

The All Progressives Congress, APC in Cross River State on Saturday listed hundreds of stakeholders to meet with the Governor, Bassey Otu and among the names published is a sitting Justice of the Supreme Court of Nigeria, Emmanuel Akomaye Agim, a Chief Magistrate, David Edogi, and a late Major General, Edward Unimna.

“The Chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Cross River State Chapter, Ntufam Ekum Ekok Ojogu, cordially invites the underlisted critical stakeholders across the 18 Local Government Councils to a Pre-Congress briefing by the Leader of our Party in the State, His Excellency, Sen. Prince Dr. Bassey Edet Otu, Executive Governor of Cross River State,” read a statement issued by the party’s spokesman, Emmanuel Edem Inyang, dated February 14th, 2026.

A PDF file of the statement, which includes the names was first shared on WhatsApp platforms before it was reproduced by aides of Council Chairmen on social media. The Special Assistant to the Deputy Governor on New Media, Mr. Owai Obo also shared it on his Facebook page.

Download the PDF file here.

The meeting is slated for Monday, February 16th, 2026 at the Calabar International Convention Center, CICC by 3:00PM.

The statement warned that, “only invited persons will be allowed within the vicinity of the meeting.” Also, members of the State Caretaker Committee and the Chapter Chairmen are expected to attend.

The List And Its Curious Content

In Obudu, former Governor Benedict Ayade is listed first. He is followed by the former Minister of State, Power, Prince Goddy Jedy Agba. Listed at number 3 is Major General Edward Unimna (rtd). But, General Unimna died in March 2025 while Justice Emmanuel Agim is listed at number four.

Justice Agim, 66, is a serving Justice of the Supreme Court of Nigeria. An Alumni of the prestigious Mary Knoll College, was called to the Nigerian Bar in October 1986. He will proceed to the Gambia where he served as Director of Public Prosecution, Justice and later, President of the Court of Appeal of the Gambia and eventually Chief Justice of the Supreme Court of the Gambia. He also served as one of the first five black Justices of the Supreme Court of Swaziland before returning to Nigeria where he served in the Court of Appeal before his elevation to the Supreme Court where he is expected to serve until 2030.

A member of Regular Course 2, the late General was a prominent officer during the General Sani Abacha regime and retired from service in 1997. He is mostly known for his role as the head of the United Nations Angola Verification Mission II (UNAVEM II), a UN peacekeeping operation, from October 1991 to December 1992. He was appointed after the regime replaced Major General Lawrence Uwumarojie who had been earlier announced and cleared by the UN Security Council.

In Abi, a Chief Magistrate, David Edogi is listed at number 9. In Akpabuyo, the Vice Chancellor of the University of Cross River State, Professor Francisca Bassey is listed at number 22 while, in Calabar South Local Government Area, the Vice Chancellor of the University of Calabar, UNICAL, Professor Offiong E. Offiong is listed at number 25.

Historically, the Independent National Electoral Commission has turned to the academia for the role of Returning Officers during elections. Vice Chancellors often serve as State Returning Officers who declare results. In recent times, the Vice Chancellors of UNICAL have been deployed to Anambra State during elections.

While other curious names exist in the list, another error is the listing of Professor Peter Oti, a former Chairman of the Cross River State Internal Revenue Service as a stakeholder in Obanliku Local Government Area instead of his native Obudu Local Government Area.

CrossRiverWatch has reached out to the APC, and the Supreme Court for comments…