Thirty socio-political groups, under the platform of APC Support Groups/ Concerned Youths of Cross River State, weekend, stormed the state secretariat of the party in Calabar, demanding the suspension of Senator John Owan Enoh, a member of the presidential campaign council, for ‘anti-party’ behavior.
Their position was contained in a communiqué signed by leaders of the support groups, including Beatrice Otu of ‘It Must Be,’ support group, Joy Esuabanga of ‘Grassroots Development Front,’ Edet Honesty of APC Concerned Students, amongst others
The groups also demanded that should Senator Owan Enoh refuse to withdraw his case against both the party and the Cross River state governorship candidate, Senator Bassey Edet Otu, he should be expelled from the Presidential Campaign Council.
The communiqué which was titled ‘A Call for the Immediate Suspension of Senator John Owan Enoh,’ said despite a Federal High Court judgement of October 24, 2022 affirming Senator Otu as the authentic candidate of the APC in the State, Senator Enoh had remained adamant and took the issue to the Appellate Court.
The communiqué read in part, “This brazen show of desperation is causing too much damage to our party, especially in view of the forthcoming general elections.
“In line with Article 20(10) of APC Constitution, we call for the immediate suspension of Sen. John Owan Enoh as a member of APC in Cross River State as it is evidently clear that he is working against the Party.
“We call for a later expulsion of Sen. John Owan Enoh from the APC Cross River State if he fails to refrain from his anti-party activities. We call for Sen. John Owan Enoh’s removal from the presidential campaign Council with immediate effect.
“Finally, we call on our party leadership in the State to as a matter of urgency direct all party aspirants as they were and members who are in court to withdraw their cases and submit to the internal party mechanisms as set up by our ebullient and people oriented party chairman, Barr. Alphonsus Eba.”
One of the signatories to the communiqué, Beatrice Otu, described the development in APC as worrisome, saying that for Sen Enoh, who hails from the central senatorial zone, to embark on such fight against the party’s candidate from the southern zone, even when it was not the turn of the central zone, was unfortunate.
She called on the party to appeal to the Senator to withdraw his case from court and allow the South to rightfully take its position and then “we shall all support him when it comes to their turn.”
Addressing the support groups, the Deputy State Chairman of the party, Mr. Eka Williams, said, “We have seen your letter, we will digest it and ensure that action is taken. The party frowns very seriously with all our members who are still in court and I assure you that your letter will be given proper and prompt response it deserves.”
