Some All Progressives Congress members under the aegis of Cross Rivers Authentic Adhoc National Delegates have urged the National Working Committee of the party to ignore a purported fraudulent delegate list submitted to national headquarters.
A statement signed by Francis Ekpenyong, on behalf of the delegates and made available to newsmen Wednesday in Abuja, insisted that the list carrying the names of the State Working Committee members of the party should be ignored.
According to Mr Ekpenyong, his list is the original which contains people who paid for nomination forms, participated in the process and emerged as National delegates of their respective Local Government Areas of the state.
He said: “The attention of members and stakeholders of the All Progressives Congress (APC) Cross River State Chapter has been drawn to the fraudulent, meddlesome interference and day-light theft of the mandate of members of the party in the state who was elected National delegates in the just-concluded National delegates election of 17th May 2022.
“As members and stakeholders, we are very concerned and write to state that the party should follow its Constitution and guidelines as it relates to the National delegate lists submitted to the party.
“That the only valid and recognized list of elected National delegates is that of the one conducted on the 17th day of May 2022, which does not include the names of the State Working Committee Members of the party.
“That the purported National delegate lists suggesting a parallel exercise and carrying the names of the State Working Committee Members should therefore be ignored and/or disregarded as being forged as the original national delegate lists was altered and/or falsified.
“The members are: Barr. Alphonsus Ogar Eba under Yala Local Government Area, Barr. Mensah Offiong Bassey under Calabar South Local Government Area and Lion Okara Ekawu under Bekwarra Local Government Area.
“Others are Engr. (Dr.) Thomas Uko Aruku under Ogoja Local Government Area, Erasmus Ekpang under Boki Local Government Area, and Hon. Prince Titi Ndifon under Akamkpa Local Government Area.
“For the avoidance of doubt, we hereby state clearly that Governor Ayade, Rt. Hon. Legor Idagbor, Barr. Alphonus Ogar Eba, Sen. Stephen Adi Odey, Engr. (Dr.) Thomas Uko Aruku just but a few did not take part in the National delegate election and they are not delegates from their respective Local Government Areas of Cross River State.
“We make bold to say that the so called National delegate lists presented to the party by the State Working Committee Members of the party was based on a poorly scripted skit comedy shot by the State Chairman of the party and his co-conspirators.
“That the action and inactions of the State Working Committee Members of our dear party have the tendency of compromising the process and to deprive the elected National delegates of their rights as delegates to participate in the nomination of the presidential candidate of their own choice.
“That they have no right to alter the delegate lists without following due process and the party Constitutions.”
Mr Ekpenyong, therefore, urged the NWC to act fast and follow the already existing delegate lists sent to the National Secretary on May 17, “being the date the National delegate election took place at various 18 Local Government Areas of Cross River state”.
