The local government chairmen and secretaries of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Cross River have called for the immediate resignation of the state party chairman, Alphonsus Eba.

This is contained in a communiqué signed by the local government area chairmen and secretaries at the end of their meeting in Calabar on Tuesday.

The meeting, convened under the banner of the “Forum of APC Local Government Chapter Chairmen and Secretaries,” accused the state party chairman of destabilising the party’s affairs in the state.

They also accused him of destructive and anti-progressive actions in piloting the affairs of the state chapter of the party.

The forum chairman, Kelvin Njong, who read the communique, based their demand for Mr Eba’s resignation on “high-handedness, insolence, underrating, and a transactional approach in party administration.”

They also alleged that the state chairman was instigating local government and ward party officials against the party leadership at the local level.

“This action brought about hatred, contempt, ridicule, and disrepute to the party leadership at the respective local government chapters of our Party, contrary to section 21:2(i1 & v) of the APC Constitution as amended on March 26, 2022,” he said.

The local government chairmen and secretaries further alleged lopsidedness in the allocation of statutory party funds by the embattled state party chairman.

They accused him of refusing to remit the percentage from the sales of forms during the 2023 general elections, which was meant for the local government area chairmen and wards, to them.

According to the communiqué, while the local government areas and wards, comprising 5,778 party officials, were given N9.2 million, the state executive, with just 36 members, took N40 million.

“This is a gross injustice and typical of the chairman. We also have other sundry remittances from the National Secretariat that are unaccounted for.”

The forum, therefore, demanded the immediate resignation of the state chairman.

“Going forward, we wish to recommend that the stipends earmarked for the local government and ward party officials should be deducted at source and paid to the local government party chairmen who are leaders of the party and chairmen of caucuses at the local government level.

“We strongly advocate for a review of the sharing formula of the funds accruing to the party.

“Ideally, this should be shared in the ratio of 70 per cent to the local government and wards comprising 5,778 officials and 30 per cent to the state officials, who are 36 in number.

“He (Eba) should also be mandated to pay all outstanding percentages arising from the sales of delegates and nomination forms in the 2023 general elections.

“In the overall interest of the unity and progress of our great party, Eba should be mandated to resign honourably due to his anti-progressive actions and tendencies, which have affected the party negatively,” it stated.

The forum reiterated its commitment to the reelection of President Bola Tinubu and Governor Bassey Otu in 2027.

The forum comprised 18 local government party chairmen and secretaries.

However, when contacted, the state party chairman declined to react to the allegations, describing them as “a joke,” saying, “I don’t react to issues like this from my own children.”

(NAN)