The All Progressives Congress in Cross River State has elected an aide of Governor Ben Ayade as chairman and 35 other state party executives through a consensus voice vote of 2,300 delegates from the 18 local government areas in the state.
The newly elected chairman is the Director-General of the Due Process office, Alphonsus Eba, while the deputy is Eka Williams.
Chairman of the seven-man state Congress Committee, Alhaji Abubakar Malami called for the voice vote which was resoundingly in support of the 36 executives who had earlier been picked through consensus.
He said the consensus option was in accordance with Article 20 of the party’s constitution.
“APC’s constitution recognises consensus. The exercise was conducted with utmost transparency. APC is more transparent. The party is committed to serving,” he said.
Speaking after the election, the state Governor, Prof Ben Ayade said the successful conduct of the Congress shows that “APC has broken the walls of disunity.”
In his maiden speech, Eba, the newly elected chairman said, “The storm indeed is over. Today, the will of God has been made,” adding that his victory signified “a generational shift of power.”
He also said, “I am going to be a servant of the party. Political evangelism has begun today to win members for the party.”
Eba further said the first assignment of the new executive is to win the byelection for the Ogoja/Yala Federal Constituency seat in the House of Representatives, while the second assignment is to win the governorship election in 2023.
He thanked Ayade who he said has turned him from a political orphan to one who now has a political father.