…He Stands Suspended – Stakeholders
In a windy letter warning the National Chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Abdullahi Ganduje against recognising the new state leadership of the party in Cross River State, ‘suspended’ chairman of the party in the state, Alphonsus Ogar Eba has denied any wrongdoing and reasserted his position as the APC state chairman in the state
Eba, in a letter dated 26th of February and received on the 27th by the office of the National Chairman, and addressed to Ganduje, copying a host of others warned against what he called lack of “fair hearing” and a descent to anarchy if Ganduje recognises the new leadership.
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The letter which was written from the chambers of Okoi Obono Obla, who was suspended by ex-President Muhammadu Buhari as the chairman of the Special Presidential Investigation Panel (SPIP) for the Recovery of Public Property, declared his removal as a “coup d’etat”, and if any, his removal “must be in line with Article 21 (ii) & (iv) of the APC Constitution.”
The 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 despatched a letter to the APC National Chairman on the same day identifying Mr James Alichie Okpamu as the acting National Chairman “pending rectification.”
The stakeholders resolved that “After due consultation with the stakeholders of our great party the APC Cross River State Chapter, being bonafide members and on behalf of Cross River State APC Stakeholders and acting for the overall interest, success and wellbeing of our great party and majority of our membership across the state have decided, agreed and undertaken to bring this petition for the immediate resignation from office of the State Party Chairman Barr. Alphonsus Ogar Eba.”
The group said, “Consequent on the imminent ripe agitations and the possible likely breakdown of law and order thereafter, and in line with the provisions of Article 21 (i) (ii) and 21.3 (i) of the APC’s constitution 2022 (as amended), Barr. Alphonsus Ogar Eba, State Chairman of All Progressive Congress (APC) Cross River State is hereby suspended from office with immediate effect.”
The group said the “suspension and the clarion call for his immediate resignation is premised on the violation” of the party constitution 2022.
The group emphasised that “It is on a good record that, since Barr. Alphonsus Ogar Eba, State Chairman of APC Cross River State assumed office, has refused, omitted, failed and neglected to constitute” the “organs of the party in clear breach and violation of our party constitution.
“He has conducted himself in a high-handed manner, and seen other party members as his employees. He takes decisions without minding the feelings of the people and has carried on the affairs of the party as a ‘Man Alone’.”
The group said, “Following the unproductive activities of the chairman, which have put our great party in a bad light and abysmal outing both in the general elections and in the most recent bye-elections, particularly in the State Chairman’s Senatorial District and Local Government, it has become imperative to place him on immediate suspension and call for the resignation of Barr. Alphonsus Ogar Eba if our party must achieve the desired goals, aims, vision and objective of its founding fathers.”
The stakeholders stressed that “Eba has operated more like a sole administrator and arbitrarily acted solely on his whims and caprices without subjecting his plans and programmes to informed advice. He exhibits dictatorial tendencies and talks down on senior and notable party members, who hold contrary but veritable opinions on issues.”
Consequently, “the chairman lacks the required temperament and disposition and therefore is incapable of providing the quality of leadership that our party deserves.
“Eba is by this notice directed to stay off the secretariat of the party henceforth,” the group warned.
But in a desperate letter to Ganduje, Eba through his lawyer said his tenure “will expire in 2026.”
He said he had “been discharging the functions… diligently, professionally and faithfully,” to his best abilities.”
He expressed surprise that he “stumbled” on the letter suspending him on the APC Whatsapp platform, purporting that he had been suspended by the ‘stakeholders’” in the state.
He urged Ganduje “to disregard, discount and discountenance the said letter” as the leaders of the group “are ordinary members of the Cross River State (APC), who do not have the locus standi to suspend the State Chairman of the APC Cross River State.”
He declared that “They are nothing but meddlesome interlopers, agent provocateurs and confusionists who have been paid by hostile forces to destabilise and factionalise the APC Cross River State.”
He argued that “There is no organ of the APC Cross River State known as Stakeholders’ in Cross River State” stressing that “the purported Stakeholders are a non-existent body. Stakeholders of Cross River State have no scintilla of power to discipline the State Chairman or any member of the State.”
He condemned “unreservedly the attempt to use undemocratic and inferior methods to remove the elected Cross River Exco of APC.”
He also said, he “strongly condemn a situation when meddlesome interlopers would wake up suddenly in utter disregard to the Constitution of the Party, and capriciously and whimsically declared, that they have removed the State Chairman of the APC in Cross River State, and unilaterally proceed to appoint an Acting Chairman.
“Such acts of indiscipline, insubordination, impunity, illegality and audacity are capable of destroying the party, if not checked and nipped in the bud,” he warned.
He lamented that “What the purported Stakeholders have done amounts to self-help and anarchy,” declaring that “The Cross River APC is not a Mafia outfit, where some Chieftains would just gather and resolve to fire down everyone.”
He emphasised that he was not given “the rights to fair hearing” arguing that “By Article 13.7 (vi) of the APC Constitution, only the State Executive Committee can exercise control and take disciplinary actions on all organs, officers and members of the party and determine appeals brought before it by any member or organ of the party within the State.”
Consequently, he warned Ganduje that he “is entitled to be heard or afforded the opportunity to hear his own side of the allegation(s) against him.”
Unfortunately, he said his “right to fair hearing has flagrantly been violated by the so-called Stakeholders with ignominy.”
He added, “It goes without saying that the purported removal without affording” him “the opportunity to be heard is wrongful, illegal, null, void, and unconstitutional.
“Nigeria is not a banana republic, where someone accused of wrongdoing can be punished without hearing his own side of the story as blatantly done.
“Even God gave Adam a Fair Hearing even though he was caught red-handed eating the fruit from the forbidden tree.”
He urged Ganduje “to promptly restrain” the stakeholders “from infringing or trampling or imperilling” him “from carrying out the functions of his Office as State Chairman of APC Cross River State as enshrined in the Constitution of APC.”
When contacted, Ayo confirmed the authenticity of the resolutions and letter suspending Eba, reaffirming their stance that he’s no longer the chairman of the party.
The spokesman of the APC, Felix Morka told THE WHISTLER upon inquiry that, “I don’t have the brief yet, but when the details are in, you will be informed.”
APC is the ruling party in Cross River State.