C’River APC Crisis Deepens as Forum Insists Chairman Remains Banned From Party Secretariat

The forum of All Progressives Congress (APC) chairmen in Cross River says the ban placed on the state Chairman, Mr Alphonsus Eba, from entering the party secretariat remains in force until the resolution of the contending issues.
The forum, which includes local government chairmen, secretaries and vice-chairmen, made this known in Calabar on Wednesday at a meeting with all the 196 ward chairmen of the party.
Chairman of the forum, Chief Kelvin Njong, who addressed the gathering, said that the meeting was called to brief the attendees on happenings in APC in the state.
Eba had been suspended on the allegations of carrying out destructive and anti-progressive actions in piloting the affairs of the party in the state.
Others allegations against the suspended chairman included: high-handedness, insolence and transaction approach in party administration.
He was also accused of instigating local government and ward party officials against the party at the local government level.
However, Eba, in his reaction through his lawyer, Okoi Obono Obla, had dismissed the allegations, saying he had been discharging his functions…diligently, professionally and faithfully to the best of his ability.
But, at yesterday’s meeting, the forum listed its demands to include: immediate payment of all the outstanding stipends of the local government and ward to the chapter chairmen to alleviate their sufferings.
“Going forward, we wish to recommend that the stipends earmarked for the local government and ward party officials be deducted at source and paid to the chapter chairmen who are leaders of the party and chairmen of caucuses at the local government level.
“We strongly advocate for a review of the sharing formula of the funds accruing to the party.
“Ideally, this should be shared in the ratio of 70 per cent to the local government and wards comprising of 5,778 officials and 30 per cent to the state officials that are 36 in number.
“He (Eba) should also be mandated to pay our outstanding percentage arising from the sales of delegates and nomination forms in the 2023 general elections.
“In the overall interest of the unity and progress of our great party, Eba should be mandated to resign honourably due to his anti-progressive actions and tendencies which have affected the party negatively,” it concluded.
The forum had locked the gate of the state secretariat during a recent protest over the crisis.
In a move to resolve the crisis, Gov. Bassey Otu had met with the forum and commended its members for maintaining peace during the protest.
The governor also promised to look into the issues between the forum and the APC chairman.