Joseph Kingston
Crisis is brewing in the All Progressive Congress (APC) in Cross River state over the conduct of local government congress which had been scheduled for Tuesday.
One of the aspirants to the state chairmanship seat, Hon. Hilliard Etta, is accusing the Interim State Chairman, Hon. Alex Irek, of doctoring the delegate’s list, while Irek, on his part, described as “selfish’ those who are accusing him of playing games with the congress.”
Etta, until the merging of the three parties was the state chairman of the defunct Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN). He told reporters that the interim chairman submitted names that were not known to many of the members, thus trying to cause confusion in the party.
“This is past 2pm and the man who is supposed to conduct the congress is not here. If you check the list, you will see that names of people who are not members of APC and have never been known as members have been smuggled in for whatever reason.”
Etta said one Effiom Okon Ayi from Odukpani was supposed to conduct the congress “but up till now, we have neither seen the man nor the materials. The national officers have been waiting and they have just left in anger.”
“Imagine that from the office to this place (Akim Primary School) which is less than 20 minutes drive, those who are to conduct the congress are not here. Then how are we different from PDP?” the former ACN Chairman queried.
He accused Irek of having a game plan that might destroy the party, arguing that the interim chairman had earlier frustrated every attempt for the harmonization committee to meet before now.
But in a telephone interaction, Irek, who is the only APC lawmaker in the House of Assembly, denied any imposition or tampering with delegates’ list.
“I don’t know what they are talking about. There is no such thing and I am here in Obubra and everything is going on well apart from one or two issues which we are going to sort out soon.”
