Alphonsus Eba APC crisis deepens as Cross River party chairmen and secretaries block the secretariat in Calabar, demanding his immediate resignation
Alphonsus Eba APC crisis has escalated sharply in Cross River State as protesters comprising 35 chapter chairmen and secretaries on Wednesday blocked the party’s state secretariat in Calabar, calling for the resignation of the state chairman, Alphonsus Eba.
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Chanting solidarity songs and brandishing placards, the aggrieved party officers accused Eba of arrogance, mismanagement, and lack of transparency in handling party affairs. Some placards read, “Okadigbo must go,” “The party can’t be starving while you are living large,” and “APC Cross River deserves a leader, not a ruler.”
Witnesses said the demonstrators barricaded the entrance to the secretariat, preventing movement in and out of the premises, while no member of the State Working Committee addressed them as of press time.
The protest follows a communiqué issued on Tuesday by 18 chapter chairmen and 17 secretaries, represented by High Chief Kelvin Njong, demanding Eba’s immediate resignation.
The group accused the chairman of misappropriation of funds, unequal distribution of party resources, and withholding of their three-month stipends.
According to them, the Alphonsus Eba APC crisisstems from alleged misuse of proceeds from nomination forms and acts of incitement that have fractured party unity.
They argued that his continued leadership poses a risk to the credibility and stability of the ruling party in the state.
Eba, however, dismissed the allegations as baseless, explaining that stipends were paid directly to ward executives while payments to chapter chairmen were temporarily suspended pending an internal audit.
Political observers in Calabar say the situation reflects a growing discontent within the Cross River APC over leadership style and financial management. If unresolved, the crisis could undermine the party’s preparations ahead of upcoming local and national elections.
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The Alphonsus Eba APC crisis marks one of the most serious internal rifts to hit the Cross River chapter since the state swung to the ruling party, underscoring broader challenges of cohesion within Nigeria’s political organisations.—
