C'River APC crisis : Former IPAC Chairman Accuses INEC of Complicity

A Former Chairman of the Inter-party Advisory Council, IPAC, in Cross River State, Mr. Goddie Akpama, has accused the Independent National Electoral Commission ,INEC, of complicity in the crisis rocking the state chapter of the All Progressives congress, APC.

The party in the state has been submerged in leadership tussle since it's last congresses which led to the emergence of two factional parallel state executive committees.

One of the state exco loyal to the Minister of Niger Delta Affairs, is led by Mr. Etim John, while the other exco loyal to third republic governor of the state, Chief Clement Ebri, is led by Chief Mathew Achigbe.

Both factions also have their separate state party secretariats located in different places in Calabar.

However, at a political parties stakeholders meeting held at the INEC state secretariat in Calabar yesterday, the INEC recognised Etim John as the state APC chairman, a development which forced Akpama to join issues with the INEC, accusing the electoral body of complicity and , and perpetrating illegality by recognising Etim John when there is a subsisting court injunction stopping Etim John-led exco from parading themselves or carrying out any function on behalf of the APC.

Speaking at the stakeholders meeting, Akpama who is a member of the APC said INEC cannot claim ignorance of the subsisting injunction because it was joined as a party in matter at the state high court in Akpabuyo, and has been duely served an injunction from the court restraining Etim John and his exco members from taking any action or even speaking on behalf of the APC.

Akpama pointed out that it was as a result of the restraining order obtained by Achigbe's supporters that allowed only statutory delegates to vote during the last APC National Conversation in Abuja.

"This is why Etim John has also dragged the APC National exco led by comrade Adams Oshiomhole, challenging the conduct of the party's last national convention.

Akpama,a one time governorship candidate of the PPA in the state,  also described as baseless,INEC explanation that it recognised Etim John based on a letter from the former National Chairman of the party, Chief John Oyegun, saying such a letter has been overtaken by events.

"INEC is wrong by recognising Etim John as chairman of the APC in Cross River State because it is in possession of a restraining order stopping Etim John-led exco which has not been vacated. INEC cannot claim to be ignorant of this fact because it is a party in the matter before the court. So, claiming that it is recognising Etim John as chairman based on a letter from Oyegun whose tenure as national chairman has elapsed is untrainable, INEC's action is illegal, and I am tempted to accuse the INEC of compromise ,taking side and having a hand in fanning the crisis bedeviling the APC in Cross River State.

"If Etim John is the chairman of the APC in the state, why has he dragged the party leadership under Oshiomhole's chairmanship to court? INEC should be neutral so the politicians can sort out themselves, you move the APC forward ahead of the 2019 polls," Akpama said.

The former IPAC chairman , however, raised the alarm that some elements of the APC who are Oyegun's loyalists have laid siege to the party in the state, and are holding it hostage, even when the 2019 elections are just a few months away from now.

Akpama tasked well-meaning leaders and members of the APC in the state and the national level to take the bull by the horns and resolve the crisis rocking the party in Cross River State before the 2019 polls.