Omeiza Ajayi & Ifunanya Okafor, Abuja

The All Progressives Congress APC in Cross River and Abia states have again rejected the nominees for the offices of the National Woman Leader and National Welfare Secretary of the party.

According to the Abia APC Caucus and stakeholders, the process employed by the NWC in replacing the late Friday Nwosu as the National Welfare Secretary and representative of Abia at the NWC was faulty.

Some of the caucus members who despatched a petition to the national secretariat of the party on Friday are Senator Chris Adighije, Senator Nkechi Nwaogu, Dr Emeka Wogu, and former Acting Governor of Abia state, Rt. Hon. Stanley Ohajuruka.

Others are Dr Chidia Maduekwe, Chief Marshall Wokocha, Rev. Sally William-Chinebu, Chief Adokiye Dams, Sam Onuigbo, Nze Esiaga, Chief Daniel Akwaru, Chibuike Jonas, Chief Ikenma Ariwodo, Chief May Ikoku and Dr Online Rufus-Obi.

According to the caucus, the Abia APC has a leader in the person of the Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives, Benjamin Kalu who is supported by the Caucus/Stakeholders in nominating the replacement of the deceased National Welfare Secretary and the representative of Abia at the NWC.

“The above position of the Caucus/stakeholders was communicated to the National Chairman in his office through two separate delegations led by the Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives and Senator Chris Adighije respectively and the National Secretary by a delegation led by Senator Nkechi Nwaogu.

“A letter of the stakeholders dated the 15th August 2023 signed by major stakeholders to which was annexed the list of attendance of the nomination meeting officially conveying Caucus/Stakeholders nomination to the NWC through the National Chairman, through the Zonal Chairman, South East and through the State Executive Committee was conveyed as well.

“Considering that Abia APC does not have a Governor and that the Deputy Speaker who is the leader of the party in the state and the Stakeholders were not carried along by the NWC in reaching their decision, we hereby call on our National Chairman and the NWC to revisit their earlier decision.

“May we also call the attention of the President, the leader of our great party to this passionate appeal that will help Abia APC heal from the wounds inflicted on us by similar act of external interference in the activities of our State chapter in times past and allow us to unite and reposition Abia APC for greater prospects under the God-given leadership of the Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives”.

Cross River kicks

The Cross River stakeholders led by Senator Florence Ita-Giwa said it had on Thursday, held an exhaustive meeting with the National Chairman of the party, Dr Abdullahi Ganduje, and strongly appealed for the return of the position of the National Women Leader to the state.

Speaking to journalists after the meeting, the state Chairman of the Party in Cross River State, Barr. Alphonsus Ogar Eba, said a letter has been written to the leader of the party, President Bola Tinubu, and noted that they have received assurances from the national chairman that the issues would be amicably resolved.

Eba also called members of the party in the state to remain calm, noting that the state governor, Sen Prince Bassey Otu, has been fully briefed and has cut short his holiday to return to the country and he is on top of the situation.

He said: “We the leadership of the Cross River State All Progressives Congress, APC, make our stand known on the purported move by some party chieftains to take away the National Women Leader position from Cross River State to Edo and Delta States.

“On Wednesday, the National Working Committee, NWC, of the All Progressives Congress, APC, came out and against due process for the Office of APC National Women Leader, which hitherto was occupied by Dr Beta Edu, was purportedly zoned to Edo State with Absolute disregard to Article 31.5 of APC Constitution, which is our guiding rule. But in a civilized democracy aggrieved persons can only channel their grievances through the appropriate quarters.

“Today, we have come to the National Chairman to inform him of this infraction and we have also written to Mr President to say that the National Women Leader position is commonly shared between Cross River and Akwa-Ibom. Edo and Delta presently have an NWC position, which is the National Publicity Secretary.

“You cannot take our position. Our Governor is leaving his holiday and vacation to return so that we can resolve this issue, we don’t want trouble, and Cross River State is the only APC State in the entire South-South, we are providing leadership, and we are using this opportunity to appeal to every Cross Riverian that this matter would be resolved amicably.