Cross River: PDP governorship candidate alleges plot against him, university; govt denies claim

The governorship candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, in Cross River State, Arthur Jarvis, has alleged that the administration of Governor Bassey Otu is planning a fresh clampdown on him and his privately owned university.

Jarvis claimed that the state government had already targeted his running mate, Alphonsus Ogar Eba, by marking his residence in the Water Board area of Calabar for demolition, warning that he could be the next target.

“They are coming after me. When they finish with Eba, I’m next,” Jarvis told journalists in Calabar, linking an ongoing tax audit of his university to the controversy surrounding the proposed demolition exercise.

The PDP governorship candidate accused the state government of using tax authorities to intimidate him because of his role in the opposition.

“The taxes of our university are up to date,” he said, insisting that the institution had fully complied with its tax obligations and describing the audit as “funny” and “insulting.”

Jarvis further claimed that, unlike some states that provide grants and infrastructure support to private universities, his institution had received neither financial assistance nor improvements to its access roads.

He also alleged that repeated requests by the university’s management for a courtesy visit to Governor Otu since the administration assumed office had gone unanswered.

The opposition candidate maintained that the planned demolition of his running mate’s property was part of an attempt to weaken the opposition, warning the government against escalating political tensions.

However, the Cross River State Government denied any political motive behind the demolition notices or any attempt to target Jarvis.

The government said the demolition exercise is part of efforts to rehabilitate the state’s water infrastructure under a World Bank-backed project, noting that it affects 39 structures built on major underground water pipelines, not only Eba’s property.

Special Adviser to the Governor on General Duties, Ekpenyong Akiba, and the Commissioner for Information, Erasmus Ekpang, maintained that the exercise was carried out in the public interest, stressing that properties belonging to other prominent individuals and government facilities were also affected.