The crisis in the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Cross River State deepened on Thursday as a group , Cross River State APC Stakeholders Forum announced the immediate suspension of its state chairman, Barr Alphonsus Ogar Eba, for alleged high handedness and breach of party constitution.
Announcing the suspension in a letter addressed to the National Chairman of the party signed by Chief Mark Nomba Ayo and Chief Mathias Ake respectively, the group said Eba was suspended because since assumption of office he has refused, omitted, failed and neglected to constitute statutory organs of the party which is a clear breach and violation of the party constitution.
He has conducted himself in a high handed manner, and see other party members as his employees. He is dictatorial and takes decision without minding the feelings of party members and has carried on the affairs of the party as Sole Administrator, the group said.
The suspension and overwhelming call for his immediate resignation is premised on the violation of the following party constitution 2022 (supra):
- Article 12.10 State Caucus
- Article 12:12 Senatorial District Caucus
- Article 12:15 Local Government Area Caucus
- Article 14:1Power of State Chairman
- Article 15.2(I)
In line with article 31.5 of the party constitution, the state working committee of the party is now to be led by Mr James Alicha Okpamu as Acting State Chairman pending the ratification.
The suspension of Eba came on the heels of complaints of his unproductive activities as Chairman which have put the party in bad light and abysmal outing both in the general elections and in the most recent rerun elections, particularly in the State Chairman’s Senatorial District and local government area.
The statement reads in parts: “It has become imperative to place Alphonsus Eba on immediate suspension and call for his resignation if our party must achieve the desired goals, aims, vision and objectives of its founding fathers.
“Barr Alphonsus Eba has operated like a Sole Administrator and arbitrarily acted solely on his whims and caprices . He exhibits dictatorial tendencies and lacks the required temperament of providing the quality of leadership that our party deserves. He is by this notice directed to stay off the Secretariat of the party henceforth”.
The position of the group has since been communicated to the National Chairman of the party, Cross River State Governor, the State Director of DSS, the State Security Adviser, the State Resident Electoral Commissioner and the Chairman, Cross River State Independent Electoral Commission.
By his suspension from the membership of our great party, his rights and privileges as a member of our great party are temporarily terminated till further notice, the group stated.