Cross River SEC Impeaches APC Chairman; They’re Joking, He Says

The State Executive Committee (SEC) of All Progressives Congress (APC), Cross River chapter, says it has impeached the party chairman, Mr Alphonsus Eba.
This followed its emergency meeting in Calabar yesterday.
However Eba has dismissed his alleged impeachment, describing it as a joke.
A source close to the meeting said that his removal was sealed after 30 of the 32 members SEC members voted against his continued stay in office.
It was gathered that the decision to impeach him followed a similar vote of no confidence passed on hima him by the Local Government Chairmen, Vice Chairmen and Secretaries of the party.
His impeachment was further supported by a similar vote by the 196 ward chairmen of the APC in the state.
Following Eba’s impeachment, the State Working Committee (SWC) met and appointed an acting chairman.
The motion for the appointment of an acting chairman was moved by the State Welfare Secretary of the party, Mr Okara Ekawu, and seconded by the state treasurer, Dr Mathew Egom.
Ekawu premised his motion on Article 17 Sub-section 6 of the party’s constitution.
Meanwhile, the acting chairman, Ojogu, has promised to unify the party and appealed to aggrieved members to close ranks and confined past events to dustbin of history.
“I will fight for the party’s stability and so, appeal to us all to set aside any differences and misunderstanding that may have arised during the crisis and let’s work for the interests of the APC.
“I will operate an open door policy, carry everyone along, and do want us to know that the APC remained committed to delivering dividends of democracy to our people,” he told newsmen.
He pledged loyalty to Gov. Bassey Out of Cross River.
“I want to believe, and I know that the battle of the last few weeks will only make us stronger,” he said during a news conference.
Recall that the state chapter of the APC was embroiled in crisis with the chapter chairmen alleging various misconducts against the impeached chairman.
The crisis started when the forum of local government chairmen and secretaries of the party had demanded Eba’s resignation.
The forum led by Chief Kelvin Njong, based its demand on what it described as high handedness, insolent, underrating, and transactional approach in party administration by Eba.
Similarly, they further accused him of refusal to remit the percentage meant for the local government areas and wards from the sales of forms during the 2023 general elections.
However, when contacted by NAN Eba described his impeachment as a joke taken too for.
“I will speak at the appropriate time. I wouldn’t say more for now,” he said.