Plot thickens to sack C’River APC LG Chairman
The Local Government Chairmen and Secretaries of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Cross River, have called for the immediate resignation of the state party Chairman, Mr Alphonsus Eba.
The call was contained in a communiqué signed by the local government area chairmen and secretaries at the end of their meeting in Calabar on Tuesday.
The meeting convened under the banner of “Forum of APC Local Government Chapter Chairmen and Secretaries,” alleged the state party chairman of destabilising the party’s affairs in the state.
They also accused him of destructive, and anti-progressive actions in piloting the affairs of the state chapter of the party.
The forum chairman, Chief Kelvin Njong, who read the communique, based their demand for Eba’s resignation on “high handedness, insolent, underrating, and transactional approach in party administration”.
They also alleged that the state chairman was instigating local government and ward party officials against the party leadership at the local level.
“This action brought about hatred, contempt, ridicule and disrepute to the party leadership at the respective local government chapters of our Party, contrary to section 21:2(i1 & v) of the APC Constitution as amended on March 26, 2022,” he said.
The local government chairmen and secretaries further alleged lopsidedness in allocation of statutory party funds by the embattled state party chairman.
They further accused him of refusal to remit the percentage from the sales of forms during the 2023 general elections meant for the local government areas chairmen and wards to them.
According to the communique, while the local government areas and wards comprising of 5,778 party officials were given N9.2 million, the state executive with just 36 members took N40 million.
“This is gross injustice and typical of the chairman. We also have other sundry remittances from the National Secretariat that are unaccounted for.”
The forum therefore demanded for the immediate resignation of the state chairman.
It also demanded for the 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 should be deducted at source and paid to the local government party 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 numbers.
“He (Eba) should also be mandated to pay all 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 stated.
The forum reiterated it’s commitment to the reelection of President Bola Tinubu and Gov. Bassey Otu in 2027.
The forum comprised 18 local government party chairmen and secretaries.
However when contacted, the state party chairman declined reaction to the allegations.
He simply described the allegations as “a joke”, saying “I don’t react to issues like this from my own children.”
