A faction of the All Progressives Congress (APC) led by Dr Clement Ebri, a former governor of Cross River State, on Wednesday defied the order of an Abuja High Court which restrained the party from conducting state congress to elect new executives for the party in the state untilthe hearing of the substantive matter scheduled for October 25, 2018.

Reports say the faction gathered at Nkonib Hall in Ikot Ansa at about 6 a.m. to conduct the congress where they elected parallel officials for the state executive of the parry against those elected in May during the nationwide congresses of the ruling party.

The Cross River State Chapter of the party has remained polarized between the Ntufam Hilliard Eta-led faction with Dr. Matthew Achigbe as State Chairman and the Pastor Usani Usani’s group which produced  Mr. Godwin John as Chairman of the party during the  May congress.

The National Working Committee (NWC) of the party had few weeks ago ordered for a fresh election, an order which the Godwin Etim John’s faction disagreed with and headed to court.

They obtained an injunction from the court, restraining the APC from nullifying the already conducted state congress. The court held that it was only the national convention of the party which had the powers to do so.

In his speech, the newly-elected Chairman of the  new Congress Committee, Mr. Henry Obahiagbon said it had become necessary to end all forms of contest for the soul of the APC in the state so as to  make the party a strong contender for the governorship seat.