POLITICS
Crisis Hits C’River APC over Corruption Allegations
By Mike Odiakose, Abuja
Fresh crisis has hit the Cross River State chapter of the All Progressives Congress (APC) over allegations and counter allegations of corruption and financial impropriety at both the State and Local Government chapter levels.
The accusations and counter-accusations are1 between the State Chairman and Chairmen in the 18 Local Government Areas of the State.
With both sides at dagger drawn, the APC State Chairman, Alphonsus Eba alleged that the 18 local government Chapter Chairmen have failed integrity and prudent financial tests as party administrators at the grassroots.
He claimed that they have been found wanting in many ways, including payment of salaries to Party’s executives at both the chapter and ward levels.
Eba, whose claims came on the heels of calls for his resignation, alleged that over 60 million Naira meant for salaries of Local government and Ward executives across the State’s 18 Local government areas has not been properly accounted for by the Local government Chairmen.
He said, “If they think they are smart by hiding under the cloak of calling for my resignation when they are fully aware that they lack such constitutional powers, then their plan is dead on arrival.”
According to him, the Chapter Chairmen have been fingered in fraudulent practice of short- changing Local Government Council appointees by extorting about N3,500 Naira from them every month in the name of servicing party structures when enough provisions are made to that effect by the State chapter.
“Chapter chairmen collect Local Government Area appointees dues of more than N4 million monthly and squander without taking care of other executive members at the chapter and ward level
“This is against the spirit of our administration and our commitment for transparency and accountability”, the State Chairman also alleged.
Eba said due to this dubious tendency, the State Party organ was left with no choice than to take over the direct payment of the monthly salaries of about 5778 Ward executives in the state, a development that has not gone down well with the aggrieved Chapter Chairmen.
He further said by demanding his resignation, the Chapter chairmen have publicly demonstrated their crass ignorance of the provisions of APC’s constitution which does not vest such powers in them.
Urging the Chapter Chairmen and Secretaries to come clean in the allegations against them rather than playing to the gallery, Barrister Eba said only the State chapter can initiate disciplinary procedures against erring party officials at LGA chapter level and not the other way round.
In demanding that the State Party Chairman, Alphonsus Eba, must immediately resign from office following alleged financial impropriety and administrative high handedness, the Chapter Chairmen and Secretaries accused Eba of anti-progressive actions in piloting APC’s affairs, noting that his leadership style has a destabilizing and destructive effect on the ruling party.
A statement issued at the end of their meeting held under the aegis of “Forum of APC Chapter Chairmen and Secretaries,” in Calabar, the State capital, accused Eba of “high handedness, insolence, underrating party officials, and transactional approach in party administration.”
Further alleging that the Chairman is instigating Chapter and Ward party officials against the Chapter leadership, the statement read by the Forum Chairman, Chief Kelvin Njong, said, “This action generated hatred, contempt, ridicule and disrepute on the Party leadership at the respective Local Government Chapters of our Party, contrary to section 21:2 (ii & v) of the APC Constitution as amended, 26 March, 2022.”
Additionally, the Forum accused him of refusing to remit the funds’ percentage meant for the Local Government Areas and Wards from the sales of forms during the 2023 general elections.
They said, “While the local government areas and wards comprising 5,778 Party officials were given N9.2 million, the state executive with just 36 members took N40 million.
“This is gross injustice and typical of the chairman. We also have other sundry remittances from the National Secretariat that are unaccounted for.”
Besides demanding immediate settlement of all the outstanding stipends of the Local Government and Ward officials to the Chapter chairmen to alleviate their sufferings, the statement said, “Going forward, we wish to recommend that the stipends earmarked for the local government and ward party officials should be deducted at source and paid to the chapter chairmen who are leaders of the party and chairmen of caucuses at the local government level.
“We strongly advocate for a review of the sharing formula of the funds accruing to the party. Ideally, this should be shared in the ratio of 70 percent to the local government and wards comprising 5,778 officials and 30 percent to the state officials that are 36 in number.
“He (Eba) should also be mandated to pay our outstanding percentage arising from the sales of delegates and nomination forms in the 2023 general elections.
“In the overall interest of the unity and progress of our great party, Eba should be mandated to resign honourably due to his anti-progressive actions and tendencies which has affected the party negatively,” the chapter Chairmen further demanded.
The communique, signed by the 18 Chapter Chairmen and 17 Chapter Secretaries of Cross River APC.
By David Torough, Abuja
President Bola Tinubu has signed the Appropriation (Amendment) (No. 4) Bill, 2025, extending the implementation period of the 2025 budget from September 30, 2026, to December 31, 2026.
The amendment was passed by the Senate and the House of Representatives on Tuesday, September 29, 2026, before being transmitted to the President for assent.
According to a statement issued on Wednesday by Bayo Onanuga, Special Adviser to the President on Information and Strategy, the extension will give Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs) additional time to complete ongoing capital projects.
The statement said the move would ensure that funds already appropriated are fully utilised without disrupting critical government programmes.
“The extension gives Ministries, Departments and Agencies more time to complete ongoing capital projects,” the statement said.
“It ensures that funds already appropriated are fully put to work for Nigerians, without disrupting critical programmes.”
Tinubu also commended the leadership and members of the National Assembly for what the statement described as the prompt consideration of the amendment.
The president said the development demonstrated continued cooperation between the Executive and Legislative arms of government in the interest of the country.
The amendment therefore allows the Federal Government to continue implementing the 2025 budget until December 31, 2026, instead of the earlier September 30 deadline.
President Bola Tinubu has submitted the 2026 Statutory Budget Proposal of the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC) to the House of Representatives for consideration and passage.
This is contained in a letter dated Aug.
20, 2026, addressed to the Speaker of the House of Representatives, Rep. Abbas Tajudeen and read by the Deputy Speaker, Rep. Benjamin Kalu at plenary on Tuesday in Abuja.In the letter, Tinubu said that the budget was prepared by the Minister of Niger Delta Development in line with the provisions of Section 121 of the 1999 Constitution.
According to him, the proposal was based on the NDDC’s revenue and expenditure forecasts and it aligned with the fiscal and developmental policies of the Federal Government and the Renewed Hope Agenda.
He said that the proposal also took into consideration the 2024–2026 Economic Recovery Growth Plan as well as key assumptions of the 2026 Appropriation Act of the Federal Government.
The President said the NDDC had prioritised programmes aimed at improving youth empowerment, energy and power supply, education, industrial and enterprise development, health and security.
He also listed increased agricultural productivity among the commission’s priorities, saying the interventions were intended to lift a significant number of citizens out of poverty.
Tinubu urged the House to give the proposal consideration and ensure its timely passage.
“I look forward to the timely passage of the 2026 Statutory Budget Proposal of the NDDC by the House of Representatives,” he said. (NAN)
By David Torough, Abuja
The Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Sen. George Akume, has charged Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs) to translate the findings of the 2026 Transparency and Integrity Index (TII) into concrete improvements in their operations in order to strengthen accountability and public trust.
He gave the charge while delivering the keynote address at the presentation of the 2026 Transparency and Integrity Index held at the Auditorium of the Federal Ministry of Finance, Abuja.
The SGF said the administration of President Bola Tinubu, remains committed to open, accountable and responsible governance, stressing that public institutions must ensure that their policies, programmes and actions are transparent, visible and understandable to Nigerians.
According to him, the Index has become a vital instrument for assessing accountability, openness and ethical standards across government institutions, while providing MDAs with clear benchmarks to identify areas of strength and gaps requiring improvement.
He urged heads of MDAs to integrate the findings and indicators of the Index into strategic planning, performance management, budget priorities, procurement processes, staff training and digital disclosure rather than allow the report to become another document left unused.
“The report should not sit on the shelf and should inform management decisions, budget priorities, procurement processes, staff training, digital disclosure, and how you communicate with the public,” he said.
Akume emphasised that transparency should be viewed as an institutional asset rather than an administrative burden, noting that integrity must be embedded in the procedures and culture of public institutions through clear policies, proper record-keeping, effective oversight, ethical leadership and consequences for wrongdoing.
He further tasked MDAs to take advantage of technology by ensuring that their websites and data portals provide accurate, timely and user-friendly information, including current budget, contract and service information, to enable citizens to effectively engage government and track the utilisation of public resources.
The SGF explained that the 2026 TII assesses public institutions in five critical areas comprising fiscal transparency, open procurement and contracting, human resources and inclusion, control of corruption and citizens’ engagement, adding that the initiative complements existing public service reforms, anti-corruption measures and Nigeria’s Open Government Partnership commitments.
He noted that the ultimate objective of transparency and integrity should go beyond institutional rankings to building public institutions that Nigerians can understand, engage with and hold accountable, while safeguarding public resources and improving service delivery.
“The Federal Government remains fully committed to this goal. We will continue building institutions that are transparent, accountable, professional and responsive to the needs of the people,” the SGF said.
Akume commended the Bureau of Public Service Reforms (BPSR) and the Centre for Fiscal Transparency and Public Integrity (CeFTPI) for sustaining the initiative, while calling for stronger collaboration among government, civil society, professional bodies, development partners and the media in strengthening transparency and bringing corruption to its knees.
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