APC Ward Congress In Cross River faces deadlock
The ward
congresses of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Cross River State was on
Saturday stalemated across the 18 local government councils in the state
following the alleged refusal of the organizing committee led by Dr. Stanley
Ekezie to follow transparent and due processes.
The
committee reportedly arrived the State Secretariat of the party late on Friday
evening and agreed to hold a meeting of stakeholders by 8am the next day, being
the congress date. But as at 4.30pm, there was confusion and uncertainty over
the suggestion that the congresses be shifted to the next day.
Speaking to
newsmen at the hotel where the committee members were said to be lodging, the
National Vice Chairman, South-South, Ntufam Hilliard Eta regretted the
situation they were facing in the state.
According to
him, stakeholders meeting was to hold by 8am and many critical stakeholders and
privileged Cross Riverians including, former Governor Clement Ebri, Senator
Owan Enoh, Senator Florence Ita-Giwa, Prof. Eyo Etim Nyong and himself among
others went to the state secretariat and waited for hours without any
information from the committee.
Upon a
tip-off, they got to know the hotel the committee members were lodging and some
party officials were caught with materials believed to be the congress forms
for the elections, already filled with names of unknown persons.
Eta
condemned the act and described it as “fraudulent and unacceptable by any
standard”.
He regretted
that the outgoing national chairman, Chief John Oyegun is leaving the party in
such fractured state where there are crisis across state chapters in the
country.
His words,
“It was our expectation that We will be improving on the processes of 2014,
having spent about 4 years that we would have, as a party added value to the
processes, but what we have found today is that the party that was handed over
to Chief Oyegun has actually fallen on bad times. And having been a keen
watcher of the political history of Nigeria I can tell you that this was what
we use to see in PDP.”
He also
pointed accusing figured at the National Organising Secretary of the party,
Senator Osita Osinasor for being behind those that were sent to Cross River
State to carry out a hatchet job to suit “some selfish interests”.
Speaking
earlier, Chief Clement Ebri, a former governor of Cross River state and board
of trustees’ member of the party, condemned the national leadership for “not
leaving up to expectation in promoting due process and transparency”.
He explained
that up to the eve of congresses, forms meant for aspirants who had paid money
to the designated bank accounts were yet to be issued to many of them.
According to
him, “some party officials were alleged to have hoarded the forms and trying to
manipulate a very simple process”.
He called on
the committee to do what is expected of them to avoid ugly experience as
recorded in Rivers State where blood was shed during a pre-congress meeting.
Amidst
confusion and the controversy surrounding the stalemate of the congress, there
was a reported use of teargas to disperse some members who had stayed put at
the secretariat by the police.
Reasons
which led the police to use the teargas could not be established as at the time
of this report but some hours after the incident, the National Vice Chairman,
Ntufam Eta, disclosed that they have agreed to go to the party secretariat with
the committee members for the stakeholders meeting which is expected to address
lingering matters on the congresses.
Comments