Ruckus, as Cross River APC suspends minister

The Cross River State chapter of the All Progressives Congress, yesterday, suspended the Minister for Niger Delta Affairs, Usani Uguru Usani, for conducting illegal meetings contrary to article 21 of APC constitution.

Usani was also alleged to have been sponsoring a chairmanship aspirant, whom he was to use for the 2019 elections. 

The indefinite suspension followed a decision of the state working committee and ratified by an enlarged working committee of the party held at the party’s Secretariat in Calabar.

The acting state chairman of the party, Mr. John Ochala, who addressed Journalists at a different venue after some members loyal to the minister disrupted the meeting, said the party has resolved to suspend the minister indefinitely.

His words: “We had an emergency meeting of the state working committee that had to do with the indiscipline of members. The state working committee took a resolution, which was accepted by the state executive committee for the indefinite suspension of the minister for Niger Delta Affairs.”

Earlier, some supporters of the minister attempted to disrupt the meeting, but the timely intervention of the security operatives brought the situation to normalcy.

One of the minister’s supporters, Effiom Ekarika, in an attempt to disrupt the exercise threw chairs at members and journalists, who were present, even as he accused the party of neglecting him despite his sacrifices and contributions to the party.

It would be recalled that the minister have been having running battles with his former Deputy who is now the Acting Chairman over leadership of the Party in the state.

He escaped a similar attempt last year when he was alleged to have had a meeting in Obrubra Local Government council all in an effort to install one Etim John as the state chairman of the APC.