In what appears a furtherance of their protest against the purported defection of former senate Leader,Victor Ndoma Egba[SAN] to the All Progressives Congress in Cross River state,a group of APC chapter chairman has urged the former senate leader to first apologise to some of its members he persecuted during previous elections and also settle scores with the aggrieved before joining the APC.
Ndoma Egba who lost out of the Peoples Democratic Party[PDP] primaries prior to the last general elections has been reported to have concluded arrangements to cross over to the APC along with some prominent members of the PDP and Labour party[LP] in the state at a rally proposed for September 26 at the U.J Esuene stadium in Calabar,Cross River state.
The National Vice Chairman south south of the APC,Prince Hilliard Eta has however denied knowledge of the planned defection of the former senate leader.
The controversy snowballed into last Monday’s protest at the Cross River state secretariat of the APC in Calabar by some members who alleged that Ndoma Egba has scores to settle with persons he joined his fellow PDP members to persecute in previous elections outing.
Also Tuesday,some chapter chairmen of the party in the state under the guise of Forum of Chapter Chairmen led a protest march to the National Vice Chaiman,south south of the party urging the former leader to among other things settle scores with his unsuspecting victims before coming to the APC.
The chairmen in the written presentation read to the National Vice Chairman, south south,Eta by their spokesman, Hon.Bassey Okon said ‘’ Without prejudice to the right of Senator Victor Ndoma Egba to join any association, we of the forum of chapter chairmen in Cross River state, urge the former senate leader to as a matter of conscience go and settle scores with the APC members he vilified in Ikom local government area where he comes from so to have a good landing in our party.’’
They alleged that former senate leader was a party to the arrest, detention and persecution of some of the party’s members in the area during previous elections adding that some are still exiled and enduring the wounds of the persecution albeit with disdain for the former senate leader.
According to the chairmen ‘’ if Ndoma Egba,a self acclaimed ,master of logic forgot the words of legendary Nelson Mandela that ‘’ to be free is not merely to cast off one’s chains ,but to live in a way that respects and enhances the freedom of others’’ and went ahead to cause the arrest ,detention and persecution of APC members in the state on trumped up charges, then he perhaps did not remember that wise counsel of the late Mandela that ‘’after climbing a hill ,one finds that there are many more hills to climb.’’
The chapter chairmen also accused the senate leader of desperation in joining the party by ignoring the relevant process adding that ‘’he will have smooth climbing and an end to more climbing in APC when he settles scores with those he persecuted and also consulting elaborately for wise counsel.’’
They also urged him to formally apologize and withdraw an earlier text message he sent to the electorate which allegedly attacked the APC presidential campaign and urged Cross Riverians to reject President Muhammadu Buhari’s ‘’vague and untenable change mantra.’’
Responding ,National Vice Chairman south south of the APC, Prince Hilliard Eta thanked the chapter chairmen for their and assured that the party will maintain an unwavering stand against impunity and corruption.
He reaffirmed an earlier position that the party leadership was not aware of the planned defection of the senate leader among others into the party adding that until due procedure of defection is adhered to, nobody would claim to have successfully defected to the APC.
Eta urged the chairmen to support the anti-corruption posture of the Buhari’s administration adding that though the task was a herculean one but with the support and goodwill of many Nigerians the government will succeed in ridding the country of corrupt tendencies.
It would be recalled that some members of the APC in Cross River state Monday embarked on a protest at the party secretariat in Calabar against what they described as the ‘’backdoor defection of the senate leader and others.’’
