The All Progressives Congress (APC) in Cross River State is facing internal tensions amid its ward and local government congresses, as disputes in Ward 12, Calabar South and Abi Local Government Areas threaten to overshadow assurances by party committees that the exercise will be peaceful and transparent.

Leaders of committees constituted to oversee the congresses had earlier expressed confidence in the credibility of the process.

Chairman of the Local Government and Ward Congress Committee, Samuel Yanap, said upon arrival in the state that the team commenced consultations with party leaders and stakeholders to ensure a smooth exercise.

He urged members to remain law-abiding and united, stressing that internal disagreements would be addressed through established party mechanisms. Yanap called on members to support Governor and President , noting that unity would strengthen the party ahead of future elections.

Chairman of the Ward and Local Government Congress Appeal Committee, Prince Adetokun Bademola, said his committee was prepared to receive and review petitions from aggrieved aspirants and members, assuring that complaints would be handled in line with party guidelines.

Similarly, Dr Ike Ukwe, who heads the Screening Appeal Committee, pledged impartiality in addressing screening-related grievances, while Chairman of the Screening Committee, Dufan Ekunekok Ojogu, confirmed that security agencies had been notified and deployed across the 18 local government areas to maintain order.

However, despite these assurances, the Ward 12 congress has generated controversy, with several party members alleging irregularities and non-compliance with established procedures.

Aggrieved constituents claimed the process lacked transparency and questioned the venue of the congress as well as the identities of officials who supervised it. Some alleged that individuals with double appointments and civil servants were included in the list of candidates contrary to directives.

One party member, Emmanuel Bassey Henry, warned that unresolved disputes could harm the party’s image and weaken its electoral prospects if not urgently addressed.

“If another party sees this act of irresponsibility, they may use it against us,” he said, urging party leaders to intervene to prevent internal divisions.

In a separate reaction, Iniobong Offiong appealed for calm, advising aggrieved members to exercise restraint and await directives from party leadership.

Tensions are also mounting in Abi Local Government Area, where stakeholders have accused the Council Chairman, Hon. Egbala Bassey, of unilaterally imposing a Chapter Chairman ahead of the congress.

In a petition to the State Party Executive, concerned stakeholders alleged that key decisions affecting the party’s structure were taken without broad consultation. They rejected the alleged imposition and insisted that the incumbent Chapter Chairman, Pastor Joshua Igboke, should be allowed to complete a second term.

The stakeholders further alleged that during the ward congress process, the governor’s name was invoked in compiling ward lists through what they described as a non-transparent process — a claim they noted Governor Otu later distanced himself from.

They have called on Governor Otu to intervene, warning that failure to restore due process and inclusiveness could destabilise the party in the area.

As of press time, the Ward 12 congress committee and the state leadership of the APC had not issued official responses to the allegations.

The unfolding disputes present an early test of the party’s internal dispute resolution mechanisms, even as its committees maintain that the congresses will be conducted in a peaceful and transparent manner. (TRIBUNE)