Few weeks to the local government elections in Cross River state, crisis in the All Progressives Congress (APC) and the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, has continued without any resolution in sight.
While two contending factions in the APC had already submitted two different lists of their candidates to the Cross River State Independence Electoral Commission (CROSIEC), many PDP stakeholders and members have threatened to defect and work against the interest of the party if an alleged imposition of candidates allegedly by Governor Ben Ayade and PDP leadership in the state is not redressed.
There are two factions striving for the soul of the party in the state. While one faction is led by Godwin Etim John, the other is led by Sir John Ochala. John’s faction has its state headquarters at the Marian Road while Ochala’s group has its own at Barracks road of the Calabar metropolis.
In a chat with reporters Tuesday, Mr John claimed that the courts had validated his leadership of the party and that his faction was the authentic Cross River APC.
He stated that: “If I won my congress, and they took me to court and court gave me judgment and said I won, why people are still talking about two factions? The only one that government recognises is Etim John-led APC, no other one and I have submitted list of my candidates to CROSIEC.”
Reacting, Sir Ochala said: “We are fully prepared for March 28th, 2020, local government election in Cross River state, and have submitted names of our candidates to CROSIEC. We have done our primaries and candidates emerged and the names have been submitted.
“We have written to CROSSIEC asking them not to recognise the splinter group from APC, these are very clear issues, there had never been two chairmen at the same time, CROSIEC should look at the law and stop dealing with John led splinter group.
“We have a judgment in our favour. John has a high court judgment and we also have it and we also have Court of Appeal judgment, which is superior judgment to high court. They took us to Supreme Court and Supreme Court has not delivered judgment on that and until that is done we are duly recognised EXCO in Cross River.”
Meanwhile, many PDP aspirants and their supporters have vowed to dump the party and work against its interest if the alleged controversial list submitted by the party to CROSIEC is not withdrawn.
In a petition dispatched to the national chairman of the party and signed by Godwin Offiono (Yala), Naku John (Ogoja LGA), Ikpi Ubana Eyong Yakurr LGA) Obi Stephen Owan (Etung LGA), Orok Bassey Duke (Odukpani LGA), Boniface Odey (Yala), Sunday Igbaji (Ogoja), amongst others, the aspirants urged the national body to step in to avoid regrettable outcome.
The aspirants, who are believed to be heavily supported by some state and National Assembly members said: “We therefore respectfully urge you to admonish the leadership of the party in Cross River state to cancel the entire process which was a sham and to conduct fresh primary elections for the emergence of candidates.
“We foresee danger ahead for the party if Cross River state government does not do the right thing, the precedent in Zamfara state is too fresh. The danger of losing Cross River state as a PDP state to the opposition parties is gradually looming by this act of outright imposition and impunity.”
