C'River APC Leadership : ZOS Calls For John Etem Expulsion As Party Suspend Four Chapter Chairmen

The South South Zonal Organizing Secretary (ZOS) and a member of the National Executive Council of the All Progressives Congress, APC, Mr. Paul Obi has called on the leadership of the party in Cross River State to expel John Etem who has been parading himself "illegally" as the state party chairman.

Obi who stated this in a statement issued in Calabar condemned in strong terms meeting of some party members in Obubra where Etem was allegedly elected Chairman of the party.

The APC Chieftain explained that the party constitution empowers only the State Executive Members to elect a replacement for any vacancy in the state leadership of the party.

According to the statement: "The Zonal Organising Secretary South South and NEC member of the Ruling APC Strongly condemn the actions of some fraudulent Party members that are said to have met in Obubra to elect  a non existing member of this Party as State Chairman of the APC Cross River Chapter.

In the upcoming Congress which is nonelective, there is no activities at the State Level that suggest a State Chairmanship election is in the Agenda. Its only to pick delegates for the Fought Coming National Convention.

Also to strengthen matters arising , with references to our Party Constitution, only the State Executive Committee can meet to decide among themselves a replacement for any vacancy that arises".

He added that "I call on party members to dissociate from such desperation and foolish act capable of causing crisis in the Party".

While describing the purported meeting as a show of "stupidity" he said that "I call on the State Executive Committee to suspend all officers involved and the Central Senatorial district to discipline approximately the members involved and the promoters of such stupidity"

Berating the 'illegal' chairman, he said that "I call on the Party organs to appropriately punish the said Etem John with Expulsion from the Party . He has options of so many other Parties to chair in the State. Our great Party cannot trust such a character who could not account for funds of Etung LGA as Chairman".

In an apparent response to the call by the ZOS, the leadership of the party in an enlarged stakeholders meeting have suspended four chapter chairmen involved in the meeting.

According to a statement by the State Publicity Secretary of the party Mens Ikpeme, the decision to suspend them was taken at the 15th State Executive and reference to article 21 of the party constitution which prescribe such punishment for anybody involved in anti-party activities.

"All Progressives Congress Cross River State Exco Rose From Their 15th Meeting On The 27th Of July, 2017 . Highlights of resolutions: Suspension of the following state officers for a breach of article 21 of the party constitution.
Richard Agbor, Chapter Chairman, Ikom, Abam Eta, Chapter Chairman, Yakurr, Amba Bitty, Chapter Chairman, Etung, Osowan Otu, Chapter Chairman, Boki, Eugenia Takon and Ex-officio

While noting that the suspension was with immediate effect he added that "The Exco resolved that the next Substantive State Chairman of the party must be a member of the current State Executive"