APC councilors in Cross River threaten to leave party

More than 100 All Progressives Congress (APC) councillors in Cross River State have threatened to defect to another party over poor remuneration, non-release of funds and lack of legislative training.

The councillors disclosed this on Friday after a meeting at Ikom Local Government Council headquarters.

George Ajangson, who spoke on behalf of the councillors, told reporters that they had not been treated fairly by the state government.

Mr Ajangson said, “As councillors, we are the closest to the people, yet we are poorly funded by the state government; no release of money for capital projects and no legislative training to enhance legislation.”

He said the councillors have agreed to begin an impeachment process against all the 18 council chairmen in the state.

“The state government had released more than N150 million to each local government chairman for capital projects, yet no councillor has been carried along or given any project to execute.

“Sadly also, out of the 22 months we have been in office, we have only received legislative votes for six months, a situation that is painful and worrisome,” he said.

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Mr Ajangson called on the state government to immediately release councillors’ furniture and wardrobe allowances to them without delay.

The councillor’s threat is like going to compound Governor Ben Ayade’s political trouble ahead of the 2023 general elections.

The court recently sacked the Speaker of the Cross River House of Assembly and 17 other lawmakers in the state for defecting from the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to the APC.

The court is expected to deliver judgment on April 6 on a similar case against Governor Ayade.

(NAN)