Men of the Nigeria Police numbering over 100 on Sunday stormed Ikot Anna Town Hall, venue of the parallel congress of the Cross River State chapter of the All Progressives Congress (APC) and sealed it off. 

Reports say that as early as 10:00a.m., the Cross Rivers Commissioner for Police, Mr. Hafiz Inuwa, had deployed a crack team of security operatives to the venue to forestall breakdown of law and order.

Speaking on the sealing of the town hall, the earlier venue of the congress, Inuwa, said they got intelligence report that there was going to be a blood bath during the congress hence the decision to act swiftly to avert it.

Determined to enthrone their leadership, the delegates however relocated to the open field of the University of Calabar Teaching Hospital (UCTH) and unanimously elected Dr. Mathew Achigbe as the factional chairman, along with 35 other state officers.

Speaking shortly after his election, Achigbe said: “I thank delegates for finding us worthy to serve the party. It is a great honour and we shall take the party to the next level.

“We want to, also, thank President Muhammadu Buhari for all he has done for Cross River. We assure him we will support him to the end, to ensure the state gives him massive votes in 2019.”

Present at the venue of the state congress were the South-South zonal Vice Chairman, Mr. Hilliard Etta, Senator John Owan Eno who represents Cross River Central and Chief Clement Ebri, a former governor of the state, as well as  Prof. Eyo Etim Nyong, a former commissioner in Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC).

The election which was presided over by the South-South Vice Chairman of APC, Mr. Hillard Eta was done by voice vote.

The other faction of the party in the state led by Minister of Niger Delta Affairs, Mr. Usani Usani had on May 19, 2018, elected Mr. Etim John as its chairman at a congress held at the Cultural Centre in Calabar..