Minister, aides have no power to control C’River APC, says chairman

The Acting chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Cross River State, John Ochala has berated attempts by members of the party from the state who occupy federal positions but meddle with, and want to control the party.

Ochala spoke when he honoured an invitation from the state Commissioner of Police, Hafiz Inuwa who said he had intelligence reports about a planned attack on the state secretariat of the party to disrupt a purported meeting. 

The party chairman told the police boss that he alone has the power to convene any meeting in the name of the party in the state.”The constitution of the APC empowers me alone as the sitting chairman. It is not a minister or such high-ranking federal government staff resident in Abuja. I am the leader of the party not any minister. Chief John Oyegun is the national leader of the APC, not President Muhammadu Buhari,” he explained.

He urged the commissioner to arrest anyone who convened any meeting without his knowledge at the party secretariat, insisting that such meeting would be illegal.

The state secretary of the party, Bishop Victor Ebong, who was similarly invited by the CP, disagreed that there were factions in the party but that there were differences in approach and views.