The 2026 Etung New Yam Festival has provided a platform for political consultations and grassroots mobilisation, with Barr. Gilbert Agbor, Special Adviser to Governor Bassey Edet Otu on Asset Management and Recovery, engaging traditional leaders, youths, women, community groups and political stakeholders ahead of the 2027 general elections.
Agbor’s country home in Etomi, Etung Local Government Area, served as a meeting point for several of the engagements held around the festival.
Stakeholders Declare Support for Otu, APC Candidates
During the various meetings, traditional leaders, women, youths and other community stakeholders in Etomi and the wider Etung axis expressed support for Governor Otu and other candidates of the All Progressives Congress (APC).
The stakeholders endorsed Governor Otu and Deputy Governor Rt. Hon. Peter Odey for another term, alongside Oden Ewa for the Senate, Blessing Egbara for the House of Representatives and Dr Erim Agbor for the Cross River State House of Assembly.
Some traditional leaders attributed their support to what they described as the impact of the Otu administration, while also commending Agbor for maintaining contact with constituents.
One traditional leader said, “This is the first time in over 30 years that we have felt the touch of true governance.”
Youth Groups Commend Agbor’s Accessibility
Youth engagement was another major feature of the mobilisation.
John Tangbe, Chairman of the Defendable Force of Bendeghe Ekiem, commended Agbor for what he described as his accessibility and interventions among young people across Etung.
“You’re one of the leaders in Etung Local Government Area in this present dispensation who is easily accessible, most especially to the youths, and your impact on the youths of Etung and Cross River State at large has been widely felt,” Tangbe said.
He added that the group’s support for Governor Otu and the APC was “100 over 100.”
The Defendable Force subsequently presented Agbor with an Award of Excellence in Etomi, recognising what the group described as his youth-oriented leadership and community engagement.
The award is consistent with recent reports of youth and community groups visiting Agbor during the New Yam celebrations and publicly commending his grassroots engagement.
Women Leaders Join Mobilisation
Women also featured prominently in the political engagements.
APC women leaders from the 10 wards of Etung, led by Irene Awachor alongside the ward chairmen, visited Agbor at his country home in Etomi and expressed support for Governor Otu and the APC candidates.
Other women’s groups in Etung also used the festival period to communicate their support for the candidates.
Football Tournament Provides Another Platform
The mobilisation extended to the sporting community, with Etomi Strikers, winners of the Etung New Yam Football Tournament, also expressing support for Governor Otu and the APC candidates.
The combination of cultural activities, traditional meetings, youth engagements, women’s mobilisation and sporting events created opportunities for political interaction with different groups across the community.
Traditional Leader Speaks on APC
The Natural and Supreme Leader of Etomi and former Commissioner for Water Resources and Infrastructure, Ntufam Gabe Odu-Orji, said the community would work towards supporting the APC candidates across the ballot.
He also criticised the opposition Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), making an assessment about the party’s political capacity. That assessment is attributed to him and does not constitute an independent finding.
Meanwhile, Etomi APC Ward Chairman, Rodrick Itafu Abang, commended Governor Otu for appointing Agbor as Special Adviser, saying the appointment had contributed to what he described as lasting peace in the community.
Agbor Outlines 2027 Mobilisation Structure
Agbor said the political mobilisation was not limited to Etomi or Etung but extended to the wider Central Senatorial District.
He outlined the candidates he said his political structure was working to support, stating:
“The mobilisation for the forthcoming election is from top to bottom. We’re not negotiating with anybody. Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu for President, His Excellency Prince Bassey Edet Otu for Governor, Oden Ewa for Senate, Blessing Egbara for Federal House of Representatives and Dr Erim Agbor for State House of Assembly.”
The development follows previous efforts associated with Agbor to strengthen APC grassroots structures in Etung. In January 2026, he hosted local government chairmen and other officials at his Etomi residence as part of efforts connected to the APC electronic registration exercise in Etung and adjoining communities.
Beyond the New Yam Festival
The 2026 Etung New Yam Festival therefore combined cultural celebration with a series of political and community engagements.
Through meetings with traditional leaders, youths, women, political stakeholders and sporting groups, Agbor used his Etomi base to engage different segments of the community and communicate his support for Governor Otu and other APC candidates ahead of the 2027 elections.
Recent Cross River government reports have similarly documented visits by community and political groups to Agbor’s Etomi residence during the New Yam period, including expressions of support for the Otu administration and APC.
As the 2027 political season progresses, the activities in Etung illustrate how cultural gatherings and community networks are increasingly serving as venues for political engagement and mobilisation.
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