As the National Working Committee (NWC) of the All Progressives Congress (APC) works to maintain due process and restore order, the crisis plaguing the party’s Cross River State chapter has taken a new turn.
The intervention came after Alphonsus Eba, the State Chairman, was formally summoned by Murtala Aliyu Kankia, the APC National Legal Adviser, to appear before the party’s national leadership in response to accusations made by State Executive Committee (SEC) members.
It was understood that the SEC had already declared Eba to be out of office by passing a vote of no confidence in him. At the party’s secretariat in Calabar, Ntufam Ekum Ojogu took his place as acting chairman.
Kankia instructed Eba to show up to the APC National Secretariat in Abuja on Monday, December 8, 2025, at 4 p.m. in a letter dated December 4, 2025, which was made available to journalists in Calabar.
“I write to formally notify you of a meeting scheduled to address the vote of no confidence passed on you by members of the Cross River State Executive Committee,” the statement stated in part.
“You are invited to a meeting… to hear directly from you and ensure due process is followed in handling the issues raised, in accordance with the need to clarify the circumstances surrounding the development and to ensure that your response is duly documented.”
The NWC’s action coincides with rumors that “The System no longer wanted Eba to remain in office,” according to certain SEC members. Eba, however, rejected his alleged dismissal as an excessive joke and unconstitutional.
The Forum of Chapter Chairmen and Secretaries called for Eba’s resignation last month, accusing him of being arrogant, misappropriating funds, and failing to pay stipends.
Eba responded by accusing some officials of financial malfeasance totaling more than N60 million. In order to prevent fund diversion, he pointed out that the party had implemented a direct payment system for all 5,778 executives throughout the state.
Eba maintained that chapter chairmen are not authorized under the constitution to request his resignation. He emphasized that only the South South Zonal Executive Committee has the authority to discipline a state chairman, citing Article 21.3 (vi) (d) of the APC Constitution.
He accused his rivals of following a politically motivated agenda, saying, “They are running away from their shadows.”
Despite the incident, Eba is still a well-known member of the APC because President Bola Ahmed Tinubu nominated him to join the constitution revision committee during the NEC meeting in February 2025. In addition, he represents the South South geographical zone on the Forum of APC State Chairmen as its National Secretary.
In response to the developing circumstances, Eba insisted that the measures initiated against him “will not stand,” saying, “The process is a joke taken too far.” At the proper moment, God will speak.
As the national leadership works to reduce tensions and guide the chapter toward reconciliation ahead of the 2027 general elections, party stakeholders are hopeful that a ceasefire may be negotiated soon with the NWC taking over.
