The Cross River State Commissioner for Information, Pastor Ekpenyong Cobham, has told critics of the Bassey Otu administration, including Denis Udama, to present evidence in court instead of engaging in what he called politically motivated attacks.
Cobham spoke in Calabar during an impromptu media briefing convened to address what he described as growing misinformation around recent developments in the state.
Questions were raised on a petition reportedly filed against Udama.
Cobham said the Cross River government was not behind the petition. He said that if it were a government action, it would have emanated from the Office of the Secretary to the State Government or the Attorney General.
“The individuals who initiated the petition acted in their personal capacities, even though they used their official designations for identification,” he said.
According to him, the matter is already before the courts and should be allowed to run its course without politicization.
“This is not a subject of politics. It is a criminal issue. It is an act of absolute insolence,” Cobham said.
He challenged anyone seeking to defend Udama to do so in court, and urged Udama to make public any information that could substantiate his allegations.
With Cross River approaching another election cycle, the Commissioner said citizens deserve credible information, not unsubstantiated claims.
He also criticized opposition figures and former public officials for attacking the Otu administration without accounting for their own records in office.
“Political engagement should be centred on policies, programmes, development indices and verifiable achievements, not personal attacks,” he said.
Cobham defended Governor Otu’s frequent engagements outside the state, saying effective governance requires constant interface with federal institutions to attract projects and interventions.
He challenged opposition politicians to a public debate on the administration’s performance.
“Let them call once for a debate. Let them try and raise the bar,” he said.
The Commissioner also highlighted the state’s push for recognition as an oil-producing state as a key issue that should dominate public discourse.
Cobham, who said he previously operated from the opposition, noted that criticism must be constructive and evidence-based.
He urged critics to “educate themselves to the strata” at which the administration is operating, and called for political discourse to rise above “rudimentary arguments.”
Cobham recently assumed office and has pledged a media-friendly approach, with regular engagements to ensure accurate communication of government activities.
The exchange marks one of the administration’s strongest responses yet to its critics as political activities begin to build up ahead of the 2027 elections.
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