The All Progressives Congress (APC), Cross River State chapter, has sworn-in Ekung Ekok Ojogu, as acting party Chairman, sequel to the impeachment of the former chairman, Alphonsus Eba.
Mr. Elum Ekok Ojogu, who took the Oath of Office and Allegiance at a brief, but positively charged ceremony in Calabar, the capital of Cross River State, southern Nigeria, pledged to avoid the pitfalls which led to the downfall of the former chairman.
Ojogu promised reconciliation of all aggrieved members, financial transparency and operating an open door policy that would foster unity and respect for all.
He said, “All grievances must be set aside so we can rebuild. All entitlements owed will be addressed. My doors and phone lines are open 24/7. It is time to sheath our swords.”
Ojogu commended ward executives, polling unit coordinators and volunteers for making efforts to maintain crisis free party at the grassroots, urging members to unite for the development of the party in Cross River State.
“I implore every member, every supporter to embrace peace, foster collaboration and champion the development agenda of Cross River State,” Ojogu further urged.
He pledged loyalty to the APC and Cross River State Governor Bassey Otu as well as the Nigerian President Bola Ahmed Tinubu.
In an interview with journalists, the APC Chairman in Boki and spokesperson for the 18 chapter chairmen Kelvin Njong, said that the embattled “Alphonsus Eba was impeached on several grounds ranging from misappropriation of funds, high handedness, non-payment of party stipends meant for us including the 196 ward chairmen.”
He applauded the APC state executive committee for adopting due process in the sack of the erstwhile chairman, which has led to the reopening of the party secretariat after it was shutdown three months ago.
Internal Disputes
Prior to the swearing in of the acting Chairman, the party secretary, Patrick Asikpo Okon, while reading the resolution reached at a November 26 State Working Committee (SWC) meeting, said that of the 32 members in attendance, 30 passed a vote of no confidence on the embattled chairman.
He stated that Article 17 (6) of the APC constitution gave the party’s executive committee the authority to impeach a chairman, provided a vote of no confidence is passed and a majority of the committee members vote in favour.
Shortly after the remarks, the State Welfare Officer of the party, Okara Ekawu moved the motion for the deputy chairman to be sworn in as acting chairman and the motion was seconded by the Assistant Treasurer, Dr. Mathew Egong.
The internal disputes which culminated in the emergence of an acting Chairman of the party in Cross River State, barely few weeks to the expiration of the tenure of Eba, started several months ago with allegations of financial misconduct.
After the swearing in ceremony attended by the South-South Zonal Secretary of the All Progressives Congress, Dr. Ita Udosen, the officials later held a closed door meeting.
Meanwhile, the embattled State Chairman of APC, Alphonsus Eba has rejected his purported impeachment, describing the action as “a joke taken too far.”
Eba made the remark during a telephone interview, saying “my purported impeachment is a joke taken too far. God will speak at the appropriate time.. I will not say more than this for now.”