From Judex Okoro, Calabar
The Cross River state chapter of  Peoples Democratic Party has raised the alarm over plans by the newly-elected All Progressives Congress executive to take over their secretariat located at Murtala Mohammed Highway in Calabar.
Governor Ben Ayade had defected to APC on Thursday, May 20. 2021 and on Saturday, May 22, 2023 deployed his aides and some security personnel to take over PDP secretariat. Since then, the office has been under lock and key.
 
And five months after, there are alleged moves by the newly-elected APC leadership to relocate to the PDP secretariat even when investigations into the alleged invasion is still on.
 
Daily Sun investigations revealed that Goveenor Ben Ayade had directed the new APC leadershipt les by Alphonsus Eba, Esq,to relocate to PDP secretariat and take final possession even as the party has its secretariat at Marian Road.
 
Reacting to the alleged invasion, the PDP Publicity secretariat, Mr Mike Ojisi, described APC’s invasion of the party secretariat as another reckless act of lawlessness.
 
Ojisi said the party would do everything within the law to recover their secreatriat from APC whixh lacks the locus standi to invade the said party secretariat which is still under contention.
The statement reads in part: “The PDP Cross River state received with grave concern the news of the unlawful invasion of our party’s secretariat at Murtala Mohammed Highway Calabar, by the yet-to-be inaugurated State Working Committee of the APC led by the factional Chairman, Barr. Alphonsus Eba.
” It’s also worthy of note to stress that, following the instructions of the AIG Zone 6 for both parties to stall administrative duties in the secretariat until investigation into the matter is properly concluded, the leadership of PDP was shocked to witness the forceful invasion of the secretariat which has been under lock and key.
“As law-abiding citizens, we hereby, without any form of equivocation call on the AIG Zone 6, Commissioner of Police, Civil Defence and heads of all Security Agencies in the state to expeditiously intervene and help restore the rule of law in the face of this brazen and evasive rape of the law by the APC. We hereby demand an explanation into this unlawful invasion of our Secretariat by the overzealous SWC of the APC. “
“We call on the APC to respect the rule of law and redeem her image in the eyes of the people, at least for once. As a party with the inalienable right to freedom of association as enshrined in our nation’s constitution, we shall continue to resist any attempt by the APC to gag, victimize or subjugate members of our great party.,”
 
The party also called on its members and teeming supporters to remain calm and law-abiding as we explore all legal and legitimate means towards reclaiming our party secretariat.