.. They’re Very Stupid – Chairman Reacts
By Musa Kutama, Calabar
Thirty-five (35) chapter chairmen and secretaries of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Cross River State have called for the immediate resignation of the state chairman of the party, Barr. Alphonsus Eba, over alleged financial impropriety.
The demand was contained in a statement signed by 35 of the chairmen and secretaries at the end of their meeting in Calabar on Tuesday.
The meeting, convened under the banner of “Forum of APC Chapter Chairmen and Secretaries,” alleged that Eba’s anti-progressive actions in piloting the party’s affairs in Cross River is destabilizing and destructive.
The Forum’s 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, accusing the chairman of instigating chapter and ward party officials against their chapter leadership.
“This action generated hatred, contempt, ridicule and disrepute on the party leadership at the respective Local Government Chapters of, contrary to section 21:2(i1 & v) of the APC Constitution, as amended, 26 March, 2022,” it stated.
Similarly, they further accused him of refusal to remit the percentage meant for the Local Government areas and wards from the sale of forms during the 2023 general elections.
According to the communique, “while the local government areas and wards comprising 5,778 party officials were given N9.2 million, the state executive with just 36 members took N4 million.
“This is gross injustice and typical of the chairman. We also have other sundry remittances from the National Secretariat of the party that are unaccounted for.”
Sequel to the issues raised and the allegations, the Forum is demanding for the immediate resignation of the state chairman, the communique added.
It also demanded for the immediate payment of all the outstanding stipends of the Local Government and Wards to the chapter chairmen to alleviate their sufferings.
“Going forward, we wish to recommend that the stipends earmarked for the Local Government and Wards party officials should be deducted at source and paid to the chapter chairmen who are leaders of the party and chairmen of caucuses at the Local Government levels.
“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 Governments and Wards comprising 5,778 officials and 30 per cent to the state officials who are 36 in number.
“He (Eba) should also be mandated to pay our 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 concluded that they remain committed to the re-election of President Bola Tinubu and Governor Bassey Otu in 2027.
The communique was signed by the 18 chapter chairmen and 17 chapter secretaries of the Cross River APC. The forum comprises of 18 chapter chairmen and 18 chapter secretaries of the APC in the state.
Also speaking, Comrade Odama Thomas Odama, chapter chairman of Bekwarra and Head of Operations of the Forum, said: “What we have captured here is a true reflection of the state of our party.”
Equally speaking, William Book, Secretary of Chairmen Forum, said: “This is not a whitchunt. It is a matter of strengthening the party. So, it is out of place for chairman of the party to withhold dues meant for the party officials.
“Alphonsus Eba should know other structures to play their role. We have met with him several times to resolve this lingering issues, but he gave deaf ears to it. Thus, this calls for his resignation.”
Reacting in a telephone interview, the State Chairman, Barr. Alphonsus Eba said: “They are very stupid people, which I don’t mind. You know, when you are trying to make sure that things work very well, people resort to calling you names.
“I have grown beyond that level. And all we try to do is strengthen the party. Three months ago, the governor’s wife had a meeting with women, and in that meeting, I was shocked to hear that the monies I normally pay them directly are not remitted to their ward chapters accurately.
“I gave them a template of monies they should be paying as salaries. And they defaulted in following that template, only for me to discover that each of those people have been embezzling the stipends that should go to their own colleagues at the chapter levels.”
According to Chairman, the chapter chairmen cannot distract him “because we are focused and determined to instil discipline in the party”.
