Cross River APC gets new leadership

The All Progressives Congress (APC) has resolved the crisis rocking the party in Cross River State as the party appointed interim executives, headed by Mathew Mbu, a former senator, to pilot the affairs of the party in the state.

The APC Caretaker Committee Secretary, John Akpanudoedehe, said this on Tuesday at a news conference shortly after the reconciliation and peace meetings at the party’s secretariat in Abuja.

The News Agency of Nigeria recalls that there were two APC factional executives, headed by John Ochala and Godwin Etim, respectively.

Mr Apanudoedehe commended President Muhammadu Buhari for giving the APC Caretaker/Extraordinary National Convention Planning Committee, headed by Governor Mai Mala Buni, the opportunity to bring peace to the party in the state.

“I was given a mandate by the Chairman of the Caretaker/Extraordinary National Convention Planning Committee, Gov. Mai Mala Buni, to resolve the lingering crisis in Cross River State.

“I am happy to announce to all of us that we have reached a consensus and we have finally achieved peace in Cross River State.

“May I use this opportunity to thank Mr President and the APC National Executive Committee (NEC) for giving us the opportunity to bring peace to the party,” the party’s scribe said.

The Minister of State for Power, Goddy Agba, expressed happiness over the party’s stakeholders’ consensus to end the crisis in Cross River.

“I am glad to announce that today we have put an end to the crisis in Cross River.

“We have sat down and we have agreed and come to a unanimous conclusion that we have a new party chairman in the person of Sen. Matthew Mbu (Jr) to henceforth lead us in Cross River APC,” he said.

The former factional Chairman, Mr Etim, said he stood by the consensus arrangement.

“By God’s grace the leadership of our beloved brother, Sen. Matthew Mbu Jr. I want to state that I will give him support in all ramifications and go ahead to assist in delivering APC in Cross River State.”

Mr Ochala also said: “We thank God that peace has finally come to the leadership of APC in the state.

“By the wisdom of the national leadership of our party and critical stakeholders from Cross River State, today a nomination has been made for a new state chairman of APC in Cross River in the person of Sen. Mathew Mbu Jr.

“I subscribe absolutely to it and I pledge my unalloyed loyalty to the new leadership and we will give all our best to ensure that the forthcoming by-elections of the Senate and state Assembly will be the first testament of our resolve to work together,” he said.

(NAN)