Paul Akpanke, the chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Utugwang North Ward, Obudu Local Government Area, Cross River State, has been placed on administrative leave for suspected misconduct.
Akpanke was also charged with disobeying party regulations and being a bully in a notice of suspension signed by members of the ward executive committee and sent to the state’s APC chairman.
As a result, they approved a vote of no confidence to the chairman and stated that he is unable to grow the party.
The suspension, according to the notice, took effect on Friday.
It read: “Pursuant to Article 26 of the constitution of our great party, the All Progressive Congress (APC) which allows 1/3 of the executive committee of any organ of the party to convey a valid meeting, we write to notify you that in a meeting held on June 23, 2023, and attended by at least, 19 of the 26 members of the Ward Executive Committee of Utugwang North, a Vote of No Confidence was passed on the Ward Chairman, Mr. Paul Akpanke.
.“Contrary to Article 17 (iii) of the APC constitution, which forbids elected or appointed party officers to stay in office for more than two terms, the Utugwang North Ward Chairman has flagrantly disregarded this by perpetuating himself in office for a third term. He is currently serving an illegal third term in office.
“Similarly, in contravention of Article 21 (vi), of the party’s constitution, the Ward Chairman had factionalised the party by refusing to work with his executive committee and stakeholders in taking critical decisions that concern the party. He created a faction with just two stakeholders who are responsible for the poor performance of the party in the last election. Recall that the party won just three out of the 13 polling units in the ward.”