Editorial Board, Sentry Times News
The debate over whether Senator Jarigbe Agom Jarigbe should remain in the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) or cross to the All Progressives Congress (APC) has grown into one of the most engaging political conversations in Cross River State. It reflects not only the Senator’s growing influence but also the shifting alignments within Nigeria’s contemporary politics.
On one side of the argument are those who fear losing ground within the PDP, seeing his defection as a blow to the party’s internal power balance. On the other side are voices that consider such a move a strategic realignment, one that could consolidate Senator Jarigbe’s record of service and strengthen his political base.
Across the southern states, the PDP has continued to lose key figures, a trend driven by unresolved leadership crises, factional divisions, and prolonged legal battles. These challenges have steadily weakened the opposition’s ability to function as a unified front. Cross River State has witnessed a similar experience before. In the 2019 election cycle, the APC’s internal rift between Senator Owan Enoh and Pastor Usani Usani drained the party’s energy and focus. The outcome was predictable: distraction, litigation, and defeat.
Today, the PDP faces a comparable dilemma. The party’s internal fractures at both the national and state levels pose significant risks ahead of future elections. In Nigeria’s political terrain, victory at the polls does not always translate to tenure in office. The courts have often become the final arbiters of electoral contests, overturning outcomes long after ballots were counted.
If Senator Jarigbe eventually moves to the APC, it will not stem from fear or lack of popular support. His legislative record and grassroots presence are well established. In Cross River North, his political following is both organic and deeply rooted. As one common refrain among his supporters puts it, “Whether in APC or PDP, once Jarigbe is on the ballot, we are with him.” That statement captures a loyalty built on performance, not party lines.
Senator Jarigbe has set a clear standard for legislative representation. His interventions, constituency projects, and empowerment efforts have earned him wide recognition. Yet, if he chooses to cross to the APC, the decision could unsettle parts of his support base, particularly those with ambitions within the PDP. Still, politics thrives on strategy. Preserving the influence of a performing leader often serves the collective interest better than remaining bound to a faltering structure.
For the APC, the possibility of Senator Jarigbe’s entry presents both an opportunity and a test. If the party truly stands as a progressive platform, it must demonstrate openness and maturity. Those who joined earlier must avoid a sense of ownership or superiority. A party that seeks growth must remain inclusive.
Some critics have questioned how Senator Jarigbe’s supporters might reconcile with members of a party they once opposed. Yet Nigerian politics has always been fluid. Rivalries shift as interests evolve. What matters in the long run is shared vision and effective governance, not the permanence of political hostility.
If Senator Jarigbe Agom Jarigbe eventually makes the move, it should be understood not as an act of defection but as a recalibration, a strategic decision shaped by the realities of Nigeria’s political system. His credibility, performance, and reach will remain assets to any party he aligns with.
Sentry Times News believes that political realignment, when driven by competence and public trust, should be viewed as a legitimate exercise of democratic freedom. Whatever path Senator Jarigbe chooses, the coming months will test not only his political instincts but also the maturity of Cross River’s political class—and the willingness of its institutions to place performance above party sentiment.
