NWC, Usani destroying APC in C’River –Ex-gov Ebri, others

All Progressives Congress (APC), Cross River State stakeholders have accused the National Working Committee (NWC) led by Chief John Odigie-Oyegun and the Minister of Niger Delta Development, Usani Usani of destroying the party in the state.

The Stakeholders made the accusation in a petition signed by former Cross River State governor, Chief Clement Ebri, APC National Vice Chairman (South-South), Senator John Owan Enoh, Barr (Mrs) Mary Ekpere Eta D.G Women Development Commission, Barr Okoi Obono Obla SSA to Mr. President, Prof Eyo Etim Nyong Party Leader, Mr Wabilly Nyiam BoT Member, Mr. John Ukpan Odey Party Leader, Hon. Paul Andeshi Adah Former House of Reps Member, Barr Venatius Ikem and Mr. Ray Ugba Murphy submitted to the APC national chairman on Wednesday.

According to the stakeholders, Oyegun is working with the Minister of Niger Delta, Usani Usani and Minister of Transportation, Rotimi Ameachi to destroy the APC in Cross River State alleging that the Minister of Niger Delta cannot win 10% of votes in the state, wondering why the party should hand over the party structure in the state to him through the back door.

The petition read by Senator John Owan Enoh, representing Cross River Central Senatorial zone said: “We the concerned stakeholders of APC in Cross River State are deeply worried about the conduct of an improper state congress in our state. Though ordered by the National Leadership of the party, we consider so much to be wrong with this ordering given the circumstances surrounding the exercise in the state.
We are at a loss why the so much determined and sustained effort by the National Leadership of our party to totally destroy and damage this platform in a state that holds so much potentials, promise and prospects for the party. Very pertinent questions call for answer; whose interest is being served; is it that of the party and Mr. President or is there someone else that has become such a super human whose interest must be served even at the risk of a total destruction of the party; are the 2019 elections and calculations towards it any important to the National Leadership of the party as it engages desperately in a fierce self destructive effort in Cross River State; does the National
Leadership know that those they are trying to enable and foist on majority of the party men, women in Cross River constitute only about 10 percent of the party and are collaborating and being assisted by the PDP led Government at the state whose end game is to have a weakened opposition platform, or is the National Leadership also part of this? If they are, perhaps because they have bought into the governors deceit that he is crossing over to APC, let it be known that he will never do so. Already he has set up three committees for each of the senatorial districts to win aggrieved party members who are dissatisfied with the congress back to PDP. Too many questions indeed begging for answers!

“Or how will you explain a situation in which after the initial failed attempt to write results of the Ward Congress without conducting the exercise, Ward congresses are rescheduled for 11th / 12th of May after the appointment of a new Chairman and the Chapter Congress for the state is also rescheduled for Monday and Tuesday, 14th / 15th consequently, the National Leadership of the party still goes ahead to release materials for the conduct of the State Congress on Friday 17th even when it had not yet received authenticated results of the Ward/Chapter Congress by its Chairman.

“As concerned stakeholders we praise the uprightness and unyielding conduct of Major General A.T. Umar (rtd), the ward/Local Government Congress Chairman. He demonstrated strength and character in his attitude to duty and ensured that he and his Assistant, Capt. Ahmed Chiroma (rtd.) painstakingly collated results from the other remaining 13 LGAs outside Biase LGA before returning to Abuja; these two are a pride to the Nigerian Military.”

The group also berated the party for accepting the ward and LG congresses reports from the secretary of the Committee calling for total rejection of the Ward Congress results submitted by the absconded secretary of the committee.

“The National Leadership of the party should rely on the copies of results of the Ward Congresses in the custody of Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) and the police as the only authentic results; total rejection of any result purported to have been submitted by the Secretary for the Chapter Congress especially because he absconded before the exercise was concluded; in the 4 LGAs not included in the submission by the Congress Chairman because the Secretary absconded with them, that the results with lNEC/the police be relied upon as the authentic results for both the Chapter Executives and National delegates”.