LP writes INEC over chairmanship tussle in C’ River, urges members to unit for LG election

The tussle over who becomes the chairman of Labour Party, LP, in Cross River seems to be over as the national leadership has written to INEC on the appointment of Mr Maurice Bassey Ekong as the new acting helmsman in the state.

In a letter made available to newsmen over the weekend in Calabar, the National Chairman of the party, Mr Abdulkadir Abdulsalam, said the appointment became necessary following the resignation of former chairman, Mr Austin Ibok. As well as pending local government election in the state.

Abdulsalam said: “Following the vacuum created by the resignation of our former chairman in Cross River, Mr Austin Ibok, we wish to notify you that, Mr Maurice Eteng has been appointed in acting capacity to run the office of the Cross River Labour Party office.

“The newly appointed acting chairman had been mandated to mobilize, coordinate, and revamp the party machinery in the state. We urge him to mobilize massive support from serious minded and prominent people into the party in consultation with the national headquarter.

“The National Secretariat has also discovered that one Mr Baraon Eyo has been parading himself as Acting Chairman of the party in the state. For the records, he was only verbally appointed as Acting Chairman by one Bobo Atari Adou.

“It was also discovered that Baron was not a financial member of the party. This was a breach of provisions of the party constitution as provided in Articles 10 (2) and 10 (3), thus the appointment of Ekeng as the authentic party chairman,” he stated.

The national chairman, who ordered that all property and documents be handed over to the new chairman, Ekeng, urged all party faithful in the state to henceforth recognize him as the authentic acting state chairman and cooperate with him accordingly.

According to Salam, this is the auspicious time to reposition, unit and improve upon their performance as PL made a strong showing during the 2015 general election in the state.

The national leadership had in a letter dated June 6, disowned one Mr Baron Eyo as the LP chairman in Cross River.

Speaking, the new chairman, Mr Maurice Ekeng, said with the new mantle handed over to him, he would not only re-organise the party but ensure that it makes positive impact in the pending local government election.