Older members of the All Progressives Congress, APC, in Cross River State have insisted that they are given appointments and paid by the Governor Ben Ayade government as promised.
On 20 May 2021, the governor defected from the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, to APC and took over control of the power structures, supporters, and aides.
Later he assured that the older members of the party, particularly members of the state caretaker committee that midwife the collapse of the two rival factions that steadied the party until the arrival of Ayade, would be accommodated through appointments and payments.
Chief Samson Edem Ene, a stakeholder in Akpabuyo LGA who claimed to be a foundation member of APC, alleged that “the Governor has refused to pay the Caretaker Committee Members the welfare package he promised them as a send-forth package for having stabilized the party up till when he came in.
“Why would the Governor be making promises of appointments to existing members of the party which he came to join that he can’t keep?”
Another who also claimed to be an older member, Madam Ikwo Inyang was angrier.
“I cannot understand why the Governor is still delaying the appointment of Caretaker Committee Members into his government as he earlier promised last May,” she said.
She also expressed worry that more members were defecting instead of being embraced, drawing attention to the five councillors who recently defected in Obanliku LGA.
According to her, more APC members were likely to be on their way out.
She said they ought to be enjoying the goodwill of having to become the ruling party to win more members.
Reacting when he met with journalists during a press conference, chairman-elect Barrister Alphonsus Ogar Eba, who also defected alongside the governor from PDP to APC last May, explained that they have worked out modalities to accommodate those who worked with Ayade.
“However, we would first of all give attention to the 500 party members that worked alongside the Governor to stabilise the party,” he said.
