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From Aniekan Aniekan, Calabar
The forum of chapter chairmen and secretaries of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Cross River State has demanded the immediate resignation of the state chairman of the party, Alphonsus Eba.
The forum, comprising the 18 chapter chairmen and 17 secretaries across the state, made this known in a communique in Calabar at the end of its meeting.
The communique, which was read by High Chief Kelvin Njong, the chapter chairman of Boki and chairman of chairmen said they had lost trust and confidence in their chairman.
He also alleged that the chairman had displayed a destabilising, destructive and anti progressive tendencies in running the affairs of the party.
The forum alleged that the state chairman had “Refused to pay party stipends to party officials at the chapter and ward levels for three months.
“It is on record that in the history of the party administration in the state, no state party chairman has ever withheld stipends meant for party officials at the chapter and ward levels for whatever reason.
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“The state chairman has been instigating chapter and ward party officials against the chapter leadership, thus generating hatred, contempt, ridicule and disrepute on the party leadership, contrary to section 21:2(ii & v) of the APC Constitution as amended March 26, 2022.
“Lopsided allocation of statutory party funds, leaving the local government areas and wards, comprising 5,778 party officials with N9,200,000, whereas the state exco with just 36 members took over N40 million. This is a gross injustice.
“Refusal to remit the percentage meant for the local government areas and wards from the sales of forms during the 2023 general elections and other sundry remittances from the national secretariat which are unaccountable” the forum said.
The forum demanded that the payment of their outstanding stipends and also that their stipends be deducted at source and paid to the Chapter Chairmen.
The forum insists that the funds should be shared in the ratio of 70 percent to the local government and wards, comprising 5,778 officials and 30 percent to the state officials that are 36 in number,” he said.
However, in his reaction, the state chairman, Alphonsus Eba, debunked the allegations, saying the state chapter chairmen withheld funds meant for other party members and failed to abide by the approved formula for disbursement of funds.
He further disclosed that in view of this, in the last three months, the money has been paid directly to the party leaders at the local level.
