By Frank Ulom

CALABAR (CONVERSEER) – What started as a little prick on the ankle has taken another dimension as some members of the All Progressives Congress (APC) on Wednesday protested against the state chairman, Barr. Alphonsus Ogar Eba.

The members, carrying placards with various inscriptions also locked the entrance to the party secretariat located at Murtala Mohammed Highway, opposite the Federal High Court, Calabar.

The aggrieved members were chanting “Okadigbo must go,” taking a stand with the call made by the Forum of All Progressives Congress (APC) Chapter Chairmen and Secretaries on Tuesday.

“We are tired of your insolence and arrogance”, “The party can’t be starving while you are living large. APC is tired of your misleadership”, “APC in Cross River State deserves a leader, not a ruler/terror”, “For the interest of the party in Cross River State, you’re advised to throw in the towel”.

“Our chapter chairmen/secretaries cannot be crazy and stupid”, “Okadigbo must gooo!” “We say no to misappropriation of party funds. We say to you, resign!” The aggrieved party members conveyed their messages through placards.

Converseer reports that 35 chapter chairmen and secretaries had issued a communiqué on 7th November, asking Eba to resign as the state’s party chairman.

They cited alleged non-payment of party stipends to Chapter and Ward officials for three months, coercion of local government dues, incitement of party members against local leaders, and lopsided allocation of funds, among others, as to why they want him out.

The aggrieved officials, led by Chief Engr. Kelvin Njong (Chapter Chairman of Boki), decried the alleged unfair distribution of statutory party funds, stating that while the State Executive Committee, comprising 36 members, received over ₦40 million, the 5,778 officials at the local government and ward levels were allocated just ₦9.2 million.

In his response, Eba said the aggrieved officials wanted to earn more than the state executives. “How can you, as a Chapter Chairman, lower in rank than the state Excos, be earning more money than the state Exco members?”

He accused the chapter chairmen and secretaries of embezzlement. “Several millions of naira that these people have not remitted in the last four years – unknown to me.

“I said let me have the account details of every Exco member, from the ward level to the chapter level, and pay them directly. In the last three months, that is what I was paying. Their three months’ salaries, we kept them. 17 chapter chairmen were the ones who defaulted in that,” Eba stated.