Cross River State’s ruling All Progressives Congress has ousted its chairman, Barr. Alphonsus Ogar Eba, in an overwhelming vote driven by accusations of embezzlement and administrative abuses.

The State Working Committee voted to impeach Eba during a meeting held Thursday at the APC state secretariat in Calabar. The decision received overwhelming support, with 30 out of 32 members of the State Executive Committee approving the removal and immediately, Deputy Chairman Ntufam Ekum Ekok Ojogu was empowered to assume office as Acting Chairman, pending ratification by the party’s National Secretariat.

Barr. Eba, who assumed the chairmanship in October 2021 during former Governor Ben Ayade’s tenure, faced allegations of embezzling and misusing party funds, displaying arrogance, and failing to pay stipends to party officials.

Upon taking his oath of office, Acting Chairman Ntufam Ekum Ojogu pledged to pursue reconciliation, transparency, and accessibility. He called on party members to set aside grievances and work together to rebuild the party’s structure in the state and assured aggrieved officials that all outstanding entitlements owed to party members would be addressed under his leadership.

Despite the overwhelming vote against him, Eba has dismissed his impeachment, describing the action as a joke. His reaction suggests potential legal or political challenges to the removal may be forthcoming.

However, the impeachment now awaits formal ratification by the APC National Secretariat in Abuja before the leadership change becomes final.