The All Progressives Congress (APC), Cross River State, has denied that it had suspended a former national vice chairman of the party for South-South Prince Hilliard Eta.
Last week, a factional secretary of the party, Francis Ekpenyong, issued a press statement purporting to affirm the earlier alleged suspension of Eta for alleged anti-party activities, issued by both ward and local chapter of the party.
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Refuting the alleged suspension, publicity secretary of another faction, which Eta belongs to, Bassey Ita, said: “For purpose clarification, we wish to categorically state that the said letter did not emanate from the Cross River State Executive Committee of our party neither is there any plan whatsoever to suspend the aforementioned party leader.
“While we dissociate from the said letter or publication, the said signatory is not and has never been the Secretary of our party and can be better described as an impostor.”
Bassey Ita maintained that Eta’s membership of the party remained intact “just as he has never committed any constitutional breach that would warrant his suspension.”
Eta was appointed by the now dissolved National Working Committee of the APC to act as the party’s National Chairman on behalf of the then Deputy National Chairman, South, late Sen. Abiola Ajimobi, when Adams Oshiomhole – the National Chairman of APC- was suspended.
Eta had raised the alarm that his life was in danger ahead of a National Executive Committee meeting organised by Chief Victor Giadom, who was also claiming to be the acting chairman of the party.
The party has since appointed Governor Mai Mala Buni of Yobe State as Chairman Caretaker/Extra-ordinary convention committee of the party in its effort to calm all nerves.
‘APC has no faction in Imo’
The Imo State chapter of the party has denied the existence of factions within its rank.
APC, in a statement signed by the Imo chapter’s Director General, Media Center, Cajethan Duke, said that it does not also have two state party chairmen.
The statement followed a letter of congratulation to the newly-inaugurated chairman of the caretaker committee/extra ordinary convention committee of the APC, signed by Dan Nwafor and Obioma Ireagwu as the Imo State chairman and secretary of the party respectively.
The statement said: “We have read with an alarming irritation a concocted letter of congratulation to the newly inaugurated Chairman of the Caretaker Committee/ Extra Ordinary Convention Committee of our great party, APC, purportedly written by Dan Nwafor and his co-traveller, Obioma Ireagwu.
“Though worthless and not deserving of our response, but for clarification purposes and the benefits of our teaming members, we want to make it manifestingly clear that the APC in Imo State has no two chairmen.
“We do not have two factions either.
“Imo State APC is a one united family held under one article of faith, and ably led by our indifatigable nay visionary Chief (Barrister) Marcellinus Nlemigbo as chairman and His Excellency, Distinguished Senator Hope Uzodimma as the leader of the party.
“Against this background, we call on members of APC to disregard that misdirected advertorial.
“It was inappropriate and wrongly conceived.
“We have every reason to proclaim it to the rooftops that it was also wrongly targeted as well as wrongly signed as it has doubtful authorship.
“Taken together, we reiterate that the APC is stronger, bigger and better in our dear state, and no amount of sponsored distraction both internal or external is capable of frustrating the renewed sense of unity of purpose and clarity of vision existing in our party today.”
However Nwafor told our correspondent that he would not want to join issues with anybody as the court was clear on who is the authentic chairman of the party in the state.
