Outrage As APC Names Serving Supreme Court Judge As  Member

By Stanley Ekpenyong, South South Bureau Chief

The All Progressives Congress, APC in Cross River State has stirred an octane controversy with the listing of a serving Supreme Court and Court Magistrates as well as a deceased General of the Nigerian Army among hundreds of the party’s stakeholders scheduled to meet with the state Governor, Bassey Otu on Monday February 16, 2026.

According to a local tabloid, CrossRiverWatch, Honourable Justice  Emmanuel Akomaye Agim of the Supreme Court of Nigeria, a Chief Magistrate, David Edogi, and a late Major General, Edward Unimna, a member of the late General Sani Abacha military Junta, were listed as members of the party’s stakeholders expected to meet with the governor.

A statement issued by the the party state Publicity Secretary

Emmanuel Edem Inyang dated February 14th, 2026 reads: “The Chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Cross River State Chapter, Ntufam Ekum Ekok Ojogu, cordially invites the underlisted critical stakeholders across the 18 Local Government Councils to a Pre-Congress briefing by the Leader of our Party in the State, His Excellency, Sen. Prince Dr. Bassey Edet Otu, Executive Governor of Cross River State,”

A PDF file of the statement, which includes the names was first shared on WhatsApp platforms before it was reproduced by aides of Council Chairmen on social media.

The Special Assistant to the Deputy Governor on New Media, Mr. Owai Obo also shared it on his Facebook page.

The meeting is slated for Monday, February 16th, 2026 at the Calabar International Convention Center, CICC by 3:00PM.

The statement  went on to warn that, “only invited persons will be allowed within the vicinity of the meeting.”

Also, members of the State Caretaker Committee and the Chapter Chairmen are expected to attend.

In Obudu local government area, former Governor Benedict Ayade is listed first. He is followed by the former Minister of State, Power, Prince Goddy Jedy Agba. Listed at number 3 is Major General Edward Unimna (rtd). But, General Unimna died in March 2025 while Justice Emmanuel Agim is listed at number four.

Justice Agim, 66, is a serving Justice of the Supreme Court of Nigeria. An Alumni of the prestigious Mary Knoll College, was called to the Nigerian Bar in October 1986. He will proceed to the Gambia where he served as Director of Public Prosecution, Justice and later, President of the Court of Appeal of the Gambia and eventually Chief Justice of the Supreme Court of the Gambia. He also served as one of the first five black Justices of the Supreme Court of Swaziland before returning to Nigeria where he served in the Court of Appeal before his elevation to the Supreme Court where he is expected to serve until 2030.

Justice Agim has delivered a plethora of Supreme court judgements including the restoration last year of the 27 pro- Wike Rivers Lawmakers who had earlier been stripped of their seats by a lower court. Justice Agim also in May 2024, delivered the apex court’s lead judgement conferring financial autonomy on local government administration in Nigeria.

The late General Unimna was a prominent officer during the General Sani Abacha regime and retired from service in 1997. He is mostly known for his role as the head of the United Nations Angola Verification Mission II (UNAVEM II), a UN peacekeeping operation, from October 1991 to December 1992.

He was appointed after the regime replaced Major General Lawrence Uwumarojie who had been earlier announced and cleared by the UN Security Council.

A human rights activist and social crusader, Agba Jalingo who also hails from Obudu as  Justice Agim and the late General  Unimna expressed outrage at the list.

Writing on his social media handle, Jalingo described the development as a “Comedy of Nonsense”

Said Agba: “The nonsense inside is that:

Number 3 on the list, General Edward Unimna Rtd, is dead and has been buried since last year.

“Number 4 on the list, Honorable Justice Emmanuel Agim is a sitting Justice of the Supreme Court, and I think My Lord will be thoroughly embarrassed to see his name listed as a stakeholder of a political party.

“The list in other Senatorial districts also carried a litany of embarrassment.

“The VC of UNICAL and UNICROSS, who will usually be Returning Officers, during the general elections were also listed.

Professor  Oti, was also listed on the list for Obanlikwu LGA.

“Maybe the party is telling us clearly that all these people have already been compromised ahead of the elections”