By Kelvin Obambon
The internal leadership crisis rocking the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Cross River has taken a fresh turn as Mr Julius Udayi, representing the Kabiru Tanimu Turaki (SAN)-led national leadership, has declared himself the legitimate governorship candidate of the party in the state.
Addressing journalists at a press briefing in Calabar on Friday, following the completion of an all-inclusive state-wide consultation tour across the 18 Local Government Areas, Udayi and his team announced that the party’s leadership conflict in the state had been formally resolved.
To back their claim of authenticity, the faction cited a recent judgment by the Court of Appeal sitting in Abuja on Thursday, August 13, 2026. According to the group, the appellate court upheld the nomination of Adebayo Olugbenga Adedamola as the valid PDP governorship candidate for Osun State, affirming that his nomination came from the Kabiru Turaki-led leadership. The court further directed the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to include the PDP logo on the ballot for the Osun election.
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Udayi argued that by validating the Turaki-led executive as the legitimate leadership of the party, the judicial decision firmly establishes him as the bonafide governorship candidate for the PDP in Cross River State, alongside his running team.
During the briefing, Udayi strongly criticized rival activities within the state chapter, directly referencing the faction associated with the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike, and led in the state by Senator Prof. Sandy Onoh.
He described the actions of the rival group as unauthorized self-parading, accusing them of endangering political stability and attempting to use Cross River State for external political experimentation and personal enrichment.
Warning that continued parallel operations could incite violence, the Turaki-backed group called on security agencies and the Chief Security Officer of the state to intervene immediately.
“This act breeds indicators for the outbreak of violence or is itself an act likely to cause a breach of the peace in the state if not checked through proactive measures,” Udayi stated, urging security authorities to put the rival faction under close surveillance.
Reaffirming their commitment to a law-abiding process, Udayi solicited the support, trust, and cooperation of Cross Riverians as the group moves forward under the leadership of the Tanimu Turaki-led PDP.
