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From Aniekan Aniekan, Calabar
The crisis rocking the Cross River State chapter of the African Democratic Congress (ADC) has deepened following a planned membership drive.
The membership drive is tagged, ‘Formal flag-off of membership mobilisation, revalidation and registration inauguration of local government MMRR committees.’
The drive was planned by a faction allegedly backed by a former governor of Cross River State, Liyel Imoke and the National Vice Chairman, South South of the party, Usani Uguru.
The flag-off of the membership drive, which was scheduled for an event centre along Marian Road in Calabar yesterday, was cordoned off by officers of the Cross River State Police Command.
The state Commissioner of Police, Rashid Afegbua, subsequently summoned leaders of both factions to his office as the situation got tense.
Reacting to the issue, the Cross River State Police Public Relations Officer, ASP Eitokpah Sunday Akata, said in a statement, “Information reaching us indicates that there is an intra-party disagreement within the African Democratic Congress (ADC) in the state.
“Personnel of the police command have been deployed to the area to ensure peace, maintain law and order and prevent any breakdown of public peace.
“At the moment, the two factions of the party are currently before the Commissioner of Police for an interview and dialogue aimed at resolving the issues and maintaining calm,” he said.
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Responding to the said meeting, James Otudor, the State Publicity Secretary dissociated the party from the alleged meeting, describing it as illegal.
“The ADC Cross River State hereby categorically dissociates itself from the said activity, as the committee being referenced is not recognised by the party and is unknown to the constitutional structure of the party.
“For the avoidance of doubt, neither the State Chairman nor members of the State Executive Committee (EXCO) have held any meeting, received any communication or granted any authorisation regarding the formation of such a committee or the organisation of the said event.
“Consequently, the party did not authorise or approve this programme and it does not have the consent or endorsement of the state leadership.
“The ADC Cross River State, therefore, urges all party members and the general public to disregard the invitation in its entirety,” he said.
However, a key member of the ADC in the state, Dr MacFarlane Ejah, said: “Some persons who we don’t know called for a meeting outside the knowledge of the party chairman in the state.
“I want to say categorically that the ADC doesn’t have factions in the state. But, such a meeting without the knowledge of our party chairman is illegal,” he said.
The crisis rocking the state chapter of the ADC arose following the suspension of the National Vice Chairman, South South of the party, Usani Uguru Usani, by the state chapter of the party.
His suspension was, however, not ratified by the national leadership of the party and this created a major rift in the state chapter of the ADC with the Usani faction carrying out activities independent of the state executive of the party.
