New chairman emerges in Cross River APC despite police blockade of congress venue
- Despite the blockade of the venue of the congress of the APC in Cross River by police in the state, the party has elected new executives
- The proposed venue of the congress, Ikot-Ansa Town Hall, was sealed off by no fewer than 100 policemen
- At the venue that was sealed off, a faction of the party led by a former governor of the state, Clement Ebri, elected Mathew Achigbe as its new chairman
No fewer than 100 policemen on Sunday, May 27 sealed off Ikot-Ansa Town Hall, the proposed venue of the congress of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Calabar, the Cross River state capital.
According to the police, the intervention was meant to avert what was referred to as ‘bloodbath’.
In spite of this, a faction of the party led by Clement Ebri, a former governor of the state; and John Owan-Enoh, the senator representing the central senatorial district in the National Assembly, elected a new chairman in the person of Mathew Achigbe and other executive members of the party by votes at the venue, Punch reports.
Legit.ng notes that the commissioner of police in the state, Hafiz Inuwa, had issued a directive that the venue be sealed off, and the directive was effected as early as 9:00am.
READ ALSO: Federal government reiterates support for IDPs, promises to keep fighting drug abuse
Inuwa said: “I got intelligence report that there would be bloodbath; so, I had to intervene. A faction of the party had initially written that they wanted to hold the congress at that venue, but the chairman of the party wrote to dissociate himself from that congress. We acted promptly to avert a breakdown of law and order."
John Ochala, however, emerged vice chairman of the party, while Bishop Victor Ebong was voted as secretary at the election conducted at the new venue, premises of the University of Calabar Teaching Hospital
Shortly after his emergence as the new factional chairman, Dr Mathew Achigbe said: “I thank all delegates for finding us worthy to serve the party. It is a great honour and we shall take the party to the next level.
“We want to also thank President Buhari for all he has done for Cross River. We assure him that we would support him and also ensure that the state gives him massive votes in 2019.”
PAY ATTENTION: Install our latest app for Android, read best news on Nigeria’s #1 news app
Meanwhile, Legit.ng previously reported that the crisis rocking the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Cross River state on Friday, February 9, assumed a new twist as a new factional acting chairman, Etim John, took possession of the party secretariat located along Barracks road in Calabar.
It was reported that on January 27, the party executive led by its acting chairman, John Ochala, alongside the vice-chairman of APC (south-south), Chief Hilliard Eta, suspended the minister of Niger Delta affairs, Uguru Usani, over alleged acts of insubordination.
APC is the worst party in Nigeria, I regret being a member - on Legit.ng TV
Source: Legit.ng
