By Asuquo Cletus
Crisis has erupted in the Cross River State chapter of the All Progressives Congress (APC) as a forum of chapter chairmen and secretaries accused the state chairman, Alphonsus Ogar Eba of fund diversion, high-handedness, and actions capable of destabilising the party ahead of the 2027 general elections.
The group, under the aegis of the Forum of APC Chapter Chairmen and Secretaries, Cross River State, made their position known in a communiquรฉ issued at the end of a crucial meeting held on November 7, 2025, in Calabar.
Kelvin Njong Chairman of the Forum and Boki Chapter Chairman of the APC, who read the communiquรฉ to journalists on Tuesday, alleged that Eba had withheld stipends meant for party officials at the chapter and ward levels for three months, while allegedly diverting party funds for his personal use.
According to the communiquรฉ, the forum accused the state chairman of โlopsided allocation of statutory party funds,โ claiming that while the state executive of 36 members received over โฆ40 million, the 5,778 officials at the local government and ward levels were left with just โฆ9.2 million. They also alleged failure to remit statutory percentages from the sale of nomination and delegate forms during the 2023 general elections, coercion of local government dues, and a high-handed approach to party administration.
The forum further called on the national leadership of the APC to intervene and compel the state chairman to release all outstanding stipends and remittances due to the chapters and wards. They also demanded that funds earmarked for local government and ward officials be deducted at source and paid directly to the chapter chairmen to ensure transparency.
In its resolution, the forum urged that Barr. Eba โresign honourablyโ to restore unity and progress in the party, pledging continued loyalty to Governor Bassey Otu and promising to work towards his re-election in 2027.
When contacted by our correspondent, Barr. Alphonsus Ogar Eba dismissed the allegations, and insisted that the claims were baseless.
He said the alleged withholding of stipends was due to embezzlement and mismanagement by some chapter officials, who he claimed had failed to remit funds meant for wards and chapters.
โI gave them a template of monies they should be paying as salaries, and they defaulted. Each of those people have been embezzling small stipends that should go to their colleagues at the chapter and ward level,โ he said
He added that only 17 chapter chairmen were implicated in the defaults, and that funds for all other structures had been paid directly.
โIf we have a structure of close to 6,000 party officials, and 17 that are bad are kept out for punishment, we have not been high-handed at all. Whatever they are looking for, they will get it,โ Barr. Eba said.
He also revealed that the Governorโs office has been directly funding the chapters and promised that going forward, stipends would be paid directly to account holders at all levels to prevent further diversion.
