By Our Reporter
A brewing internal controversy has hit the Cross River State chapter of the Relax Tinubu is Fixing Nigeria support group, following allegations that a key national officer was deliberately sidelined during a major rally held in Calabar over the weekend.
The incident has sparked intense debate among members regarding inclusivity, unity, and respect for the organization’s national hierarchy.
According to sources present at the event, Honourable Shedrach Egede, the National Director of Strategic Deployment and Implementation, was treated merely as an observer during the proceedings. As a national officer, Hon. Egede oversees operational structures across the 36 states and the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), coordinating grassroots efforts to promote President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda.
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Insiders claim that despite Hon. Egede making significant financial contributions to ensure the rally’s success, he was neither officially recognized during the two major events nor given the platform to address supporters from his home state.
Sources close to the development alleged that the exclusion was a deliberate political maneuver by the Cross River State Coordinator of the organization, Engr. Anjor Obande. It is alleged that Engr. Obande viewed Hon. Egede as a potential rival and sought to maintain her monopoly over the group’s leadership image within the state.
The rift reportedly climaxed during the main event at the Dome in the Calabar Municipal Council. Sources stated that Hon. Egede’s name and official designation were omitted from the protocol list, despite frantic efforts by his aides to ensure the master of ceremonies recognized his presence.
In a swift reaction to the allegations, the Cross River State Secretary of the group, Hon. Stanley Nsemo, firmly denied any intentional wrongdoing, describing the controversy as unnecessary.
While speaking on the incident, Hon. Nsemo maintained that all prominent national figures were given their due respect and suggested that any perceived omission was completely accidental.
“Nothing of such happened,” Hon. Nsemo stated. “All the dignitaries and national officers were recognized, and if anybody was sidelined, it wasn’t deliberate. Key national officers like the DG of DGs, the national secretary, and other prominent officers were duly recognized.”
Dismissing the grievances, Hon. Nsemo compared the situation to legislative protocol, arguing that individual recognition is not always feasible when top leadership is present.
“As a house member, you went to a place with the speaker. The speaker was recognized, and you say that as chairman of the committee on appropriation, you were supposed to be recognized too? This doesn’t make sense at all,” he argued.
He further emphasized that the event required personal sacrifices for the collective good of the group, adding, “I was on the high table but I even had to give up my seat for others to sit. If you ask me, there’s nothing to be disturbed about.”
Despite the state chapter’s attempts to downplay the issue, the incident has left a fracture among supporters. Many are now raising questions about internal cohesion and how the group intends to balance state-level leadership dynamics with national oversight as they continue their campaigns for Tinubu’s reelection bid.
