The Cross River State Chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Barr. Alphonsus Eba has given reasons why the party is withholding salaries of seventeen chapter Chairmen in the state.
Eba, who was reacting to a communique issued by the chapter Chairmen asking him “To resign honourably,” accused the errant Chapter Chairmen of mismanagement of funds.
The APC State Chairman said, “They are running away from their shadow. They embezzled monies meant for ward executives and some chapter Executives running over N60,000. 000 They must come and give an account for that.
“We now pay all party Executives numbering 5,778 salaries directly into their accounts, and we have paid all of them up to date. But the 17 chapter chairmen’s salaries are being held until they clear themselves over the fraud alleged against them.
“Chapter chairmen collect LGA appointees’ dues of more than 4 million monthly and squander without taking care of other Excos at the Chapter and ward level
“They collect N3,600,000 from some quarters and squander, causing a disproportionate salary structure that is in excess of what State Executive Committee members earn.
“This is against the spirit of our administration and our commitment to transparency and accountability. No chapter chairman has the power to call for the resignation of the State Chairman or State Executive Committee member; on the contrary, the state executive committee has full powers to discipline and sanction them, and this will be done immediately.”
The chapter Chairmen had accused Eba of withholding their salaries for three months, which they claimed was affecting their welfare “with grave economic consequences,” and called on him to resign honourably.
