Cross River APC lawmaker denies attack on resident of PDP Reps member

APC House of Representatives candidate in Calabar South, Akpabuyo, and Bakassi federal constituency in the 2023 general elections and incumbent Deputy Speaker of the Cross River State House of Assembly Rt. Hon. Joseph Bassey aka “PAPA” has denied complicity in the attack allegedly carried out by political thugs loyal to him on the properties of some Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) Chieftains in Akpabuyo Local Government Area of Cross River State.

Journalists who visited the affected properties on Monday reported that no life was lost but observed that the houses in question were substantially damaged as a result of the infraction.

The PDP stakeholders affected are the state organizing secretary, Nsa Ekeng, Atimbo West Ward Chairman, and Effiom Ekpo.

According to one of the victims Effiom Ekpo who talked to newsmen, the hoodlums destroyed vehicles as well as smashed windows in each of the houses they torch. The seemingly coordinated campaign which occurred between 2:30 am and 3:00 am also broke into houses and looted properties.

Efforts to contact the Deputy Speaker of the Cross River State House of Assembly, Hon. Joseph Bassey for his comment on the matter was naught at the time of filing this report.

However, one of his aides who spoke to newsmen on condition of anonymity said that his principal has never engaged the services of thugs in his political campaigns and described the incident as the handiwork of fifth columnists who want to use the incidence to vent their anger on the current fuel and new currency scarcity in the country.

Rt. Hon. Joseph Bassey is the APC National Assembly (Reps.) candidate for Calabar South/Akpabuyo/Bakassi federal constituency and is up against the ranking member, Rt. Hon. Apostle Essien Ayi of the PDP and Rt. Hon. Dominic Aqua Edem of the Labour Party.

By: Archibong Emmanuel
(Snr. Reporter)