By Nsan Ndoma-Neji, Calabar
Stakeholders of the Cross River State chapter of the Inter-Party Advisory Council, IPAC, have affirmed that Engr. Effiom Edet Okon “remains the duly elected and legitimate chairman of the council.”
In a statement issued yesterday in Calabar and signed by 18 out of the 24 chairmen of political parties in Cross River state, they dismissed reports of Okon’s purported impeachment as “false and unconstitutional.”
The stakeholders said the call by six party chairmen for Okon’s removal over allegations of financial misconduct, abuse of office and incompetence lacked constitutional backing.
Describing the move as “misleading, malicious and completely false,” the stakeholders accused the group of attempting to destabilize the council.
They insisted that the action of the six party chairmen represents “a fabrication and product of mischief and a desperate attempt by a few disgruntled individuals to undermine the unity, credibility and stability of IPAC in Cross River State.”
The council clarified that “no valid impeachment process was initiated, conducted or concluded against the chairman.”
It stated that the meeting being referenced by those pushing for Okon’s removal was not a legally constituted general council meeting.
The stakeholders alleged that “a group of six political party chairmen, aided by a PDP member, who is not even a chairman of any political party, forcefully disrupted the duly convened IPAC general council meeting held on 2nd September 2026” after failing to “hijack the proceedings and impose their personal agenda on the council.”
On the allegations of financial misconduct, the stakeholders described the claim that the chairman failed to account for ₦84 million allegedly received from the state government and other partners as “entirely false, reckless and a lie from the pit of hell.”
They challenged the accusers to provide documentary evidence of the purported release, recipient details, payment records and any supporting approvals or spending,” stressing that “no such amount was ever received by the chairman or by the Cross State chapter of IPAC under his leadership.”
The statement also rejected claims that Engr. Okon unilaterally endorsed political billboards fees with CRISSA, stressing that he “has consistently represented IPAC in official engagements in line with established procedures.”
The stakeholders further declared that any purported appointments to replace the chairman and the secretary are “null, void and of no effect whatsoever,” because there are no vacancy in those offices.
They added, “Any individual parading himself as having been elected or appointed into such offices is merely engaging in self-help and acting outside the provisions of the IPAC Constitution.”
The statement also dismissed claims that Engr. Okon was previously impeached, stating that “the records of IPAC clearly showed that no lawful impeachment was ever sustained against him.”
Consequently, the council urged the general public, the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, security agencies, government institutions and development partners to “disregard the purported impeachment and all actions arising from it, as they have no constitutional or legal foundation.”
The stakeholders maintained that Cross River IPAC “remains united, committed to democratic principles and focused on its mandate,” calling on members to “remain calm, law-abiding and committed to the ideals of dialogue and constitutionalism.”
