‘Eba Must Go’ – Cross River APC Crisis Worsens As Stakeholders Protest At Party’s Secretariat Against ‘Suspended’ State Chairman

The crisis in the All Progressives Congress (APC) Cross River State chapter worsened on Thursday as stakeholders who have suspended the State Chairman, Alphonsus Ogar Eba staged a protest to the Secretariat of the party chanting, “Eba Must go.”

The protesters carried various placards with inscriptions “Alphonsus must go,” “Eba must go” and walked in numbers to the party’s office in Calabar where they converged to vent their anger on how Eba has been managing the party.

THE WHISTLER reported that a group led by Chief Mark Nomba Ayo, Chairman, and Mathias Ake, Secretary, both of Cross River State APC Stakeholders Forum, had passed a vote of no confidence on Eba on the resolution dated 21 February and subsequently suspended him.

The group followed up their decision with a letter to the APC National Chairman, Abdullahi Ganduje, on the same day identifying Mr James Alichie Okpamu as the acting National Chairman “pending rectification.”

But Eba in a counter letter to Ganduje denied any wrongdoing, asserting that the group did not give him “fair hearing” and that if Ganduje honoured their resolution, the party would sink into anarchy.

While addressing the protesters, the acting state chairman appointed by the group, James Okpamu, advised them to be “peaceful and orderly.”

He noted that, “We have taken control of the party from those who are not party members.

“We will soon create proper party structure and give everyone a sense of belonging,” he said.

Speaking with THE WHISTLER in a phone conversation, Ayo said “We are the authentic party leaders of APC in Cross River State. We have James Alichie Okpamu as the acting state chairman, he’s the one recognised.”

Asked if he was aware Eba had called for stakeholders meeting with two party members from each ward, he said, “Yes, that’s what accelerated this protest. Because, the deputy governor told us to be calm to allow the committee to study the crisis within a week and come out with a decision.

“But Eba has been allowed to be active such that he’s calling for a meeting. Somebody who’s been suspended and is no longer the party chairman is calling for a meeting. So we decided we won’t allow that.”

In the meeting called for Saturday, March 2, Eba in a notice said the state governor, Bassey Out “is an automatic member.”

Members called for the meeting include the deputy governor, speaker, former governors and their deputies among others.

He said “Attendance is strictly by invitation” in the notice signed by the acting State Publicity Secretary, Emmanuel Edem Iyang, who could not be reached for comment regarding the crisis as of the time of filing this report.