Cross River APC Apologizes for Inviting Dead General, Justice

By 𝔸bdulrazak Tomiwa

The Cross River APC has apologized after mistakenly inviting a deceased Army General and a Supreme Court Justice to a political stakeholders’ meeting. 

The error was discovered after the list of invitees for the session with Governor Bassey Otu was made public, sparking widespread criticism.

The party expressed deep regret to the family of the late Major General Edward Ushie Unimna, who died and was buried in 2025. His inclusion on the list raised serious concerns about the party’s failure to update its records or perform basic due diligence before issuing invitations.

Apologies were also extended to Justice Emmanuel Agim and several non-partisan officials, including vice-chancellors and a magistrate. Their inclusion was viewed as a potential threat to judicial neutrality, as sitting judges are strictly prohibited from participating in partisan political gatherings.

State Publicity Secretary Emmanuel Edem Inyang admitted the list was flawed and confirmed that the names have since been removed. The party leadership clarified that the publication was a clerical oversight and did not reflect their actual intentions for the meeting’s roster.

Addressing the blunder, the APC stated, “The leadership of the APC Cross River State Chapter hereby notifies its members, stakeholders, and the general public that certain names included in the earlier list circulated in connection with the forthcoming stakeholders’ meeting were published in error and should therefore be disregarded.”

The party concluded by offering an unreserved apology for any embarrassment caused to the families and individuals involved.

Despite the correction, the incident has left the state chapter facing scrutiny over its administrative competence and verification processes.