The Chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Cross River State, Christopher Etta, has denied claims that the state government imposed excessive taxes on a private university owned by the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) governorship candidate, Sir Arthur Jarvis Archibong, describing the claims as unsubstantiated.

Etta made the remarks on Monday during an interactive session with journalists at the Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ) Press Centre in Calabar, where he addressed issues relating to the state’s political climate, including party congresses, tax allegations and planned demolitions.

He was responding to claims by Archibong that the state government deliberately placed heavy tax assessments on his university because of his political affiliation.

According to Etta, tax disputes are not uncommon and should be resolved through documentary evidence rather than public allegations.

He urged the university’s management to make its tax records available for public scrutiny, saying such documents would provide a clearer picture of the matter.

“If you ask him to show you his record, based on what he ought to pay, what he actually paid and what he has to pay based on the assessments, I’m sure that his theory will fall,” Etta said.

The APC chairman also called on journalists to obtain and examine official tax records before reporting on the controversy, insisting that verified facts should take precedence over political claims.

Commenting on a diaspora-based commentator identified as Portrait Peterson, Etta accused him of making inaccurate claims about political developments in Cross River despite residing outside Nigeria.

He argued that commentary on local political issues should be based on firsthand knowledge rather than information supplied by political interests.

On internal party democracy, Etta maintained that political parties should not prevent qualified aspirants from contesting elective positions based on subjective assessments such as appearance, eloquence or perceived competence.

He warned that excluding eligible members from party primaries without justifiable grounds could be viewed as a violation of their constitutional rights and expose parties to allegations of manipulating the democratic process.

Addressing concerns over the planned demolition of structures on State Water Board land, Etta rejected claims that the exercise was designed to target opposition figures.

He described the demolition as a routine government action intended to enforce compliance with existing regulations rather than a politically motivated operation.

According to him, the exercise affects both members of the APC and opposition parties, adding that a significant number of the affected property owners belong to the ruling party.

“On the issue of demolition, I’m surprised that you are now turning into the echo chamber of the opposition. Because if you are not, you would have realized that even APC members’ houses are also marked,” he said.

He added that most of the structures listed for demolition belonged to APC members, which, he argued, contradicted claims of selective enforcement against opposition supporters.

Etta again urged journalists to verify official records before publishing allegations, stressing that accurate reporting should be guided by facts and thorough investigation rather than political narratives.

He reiterated that transparency, documentary evidence and responsible journalism remain essential in resolving public controversies and called on stakeholders to distinguish between political rhetoric and verifiable facts.