By Eniola Ambosege
A senatorial aspirant of the All Progressives Congress in Cross River Central Senatorial District, Eteng Williams, has alleged widespread irregularities in the conduct of the party’s primary election, calling on the national leadership of the party to disregard the outcome of the exercise.
This is coming after the declaration of the Commissioner for Special Duties, Oden Ewa, as the APC candidate for the Cross River Central Senatorial District.
Eteng, alongside another aspirant, Mary Ekpere, addressed supporters in Ikom on where they described the primary as flawed and inconsistent with directives earlier issued by the party leadership.
The lawmaker alleged that the process was manipulated through the withholding of election materials and the deployment of what he described as an illegitimate electoral panel allegedly set up to favour a predetermined candidate.
According to him, several supporters and delegates who arrived at designated wards and local government collation centres as early as 7am were unable to participate in the process after venues were allegedly changed without prior notice.
He said the development disenfranchised party members and undermined internal democracy within the APC.
Eteng further claimed that the participation of one of the aspirants in the exercise contradicted an earlier directive of the party, which he said barred the aspirant from contesting after failing to meet clearance requirements.
He added that party officials had earlier instructed that results from the exercise be forwarded to the national headquarters for ratification.
Also speaking, Ekpere alleged that her name was removed from the list of aspirants for Cross River Central and moved to Cross River North in what she described as an attempt to edge her out of the race.
She accused the state chapter of the APC of working to favour a preferred aspirant, warning that such actions could deepen divisions within the party ahead of the general elections.
“We are all loyal members of the APC who worked for the survival of the party during difficult periods. The selective treatment of aspirants is unacceptable,” she stated.
Supporters at the gathering urged the national leadership of the APC to intervene and ensure fairness in the process, warning that unresolved grievances could trigger disaffection among party members.
Efforts to get an official reaction from the APC leadership in the state were unsuccessful as of the time of filing this report.
