By Prince Charles Ekanem.
Following the inability of the self acclaim acting chairman cum eleco secretary in absent of Mr chairman Arch Ekpo Otu, who is far away in UK for further studies to address the pending issues in the committee that has to do with aspirants, date and venue for election, Electoral committee members after their meeting in Calabar on Friday denied any knowledge of elections in Ugep, Yakurr LGA of Cross River State.
In Statement release by the electoral committee, they noted that the electoral committee members have been drawn to the rumor peddled by some group of person(s) that the Crutech alumni election slated for 7th day of December 2019 holds in Ugep as contained in the earlier timetable published by the electoral committee is false.
Accordingly no venue was in that timetable and to put things in perspective therefore, we will attempt to give reasons why we can't go ahead with the elections.
The Statement reads, we all know that a 7 man electoral committee was set up Eyam Abeng led embattled administration to conduct election and everything went on smoothly until we had issue in clearing one Mr Tony Otiko which is still pending till now. While we were yet to resolve all pending issues in the committee a group of aggrieved members went to court to seek redress on grey areas of dispute that borders on constitutional bridged. Consequent upon that, the court issued an EX-pater order restraining both the eleco and Eyam administration from functioning. Even when the eleco doubted the order and went ahead to holds some online meetings, the court further serve the eleco via a court baliff form 48 warning them on the danger of disobeying court order. Upon receiving the said form 48, the chairman then directed the committee to stay action pending the determination of the matter in court. Find attach chairman statement.
Recall also that the constitution empower only the eleco to organise and conduct election and uptill now the chairman is not in the country and no reminder or information have been given by the electoral body regarding the election whether it will hold or not. When the former is not given, the later becomes the glaring alternative. No election. The secretary acting position as the chairman ends on the 25th of November 2019 as contained in the later send to the committee by the chairman Arch Ekpo Otu, this is because the committee is yet to either receive a latter or oral information from the chairman upon his return and or another later empowering the secretary to function in an acting capacity as the chairman of the committee/ secretary; so whatever he is doing in the purported election venue is doing it as AJA ESUE not as committee chairman. Attech is the latter from Mr chairman Arch Ekpo Otu.
Finally, we the members of the electoral committee equivocally state here that as law abiding citizens we are still obeying the order of court until otherwise directed by the court and that any result announced by any group of person(s) is consider invalid. Further still, the said group of person(s) who are gathering in Ugep for election are not know to us as all our screened and cleared candidates will hear from us at due time. Moreso, those group of person(s) in ugep should be treated as a group of people who have gathered seeking opportunity to perpetrate their evil intention and further course civil unrest. Therefore, it's our concern to put all Alumnus on the know that this information is already before the court and all relevant security agencies for further action.
Speaking with some of the Candidates, Comrade Otiko Anthony who is contesting for the Position of Secretary General said he couldn't have appear on the ballots paper of the purported elections in Ugep when the electoral committee was yet to clear him after keeping him in view (KIV).
"I'm shock and devastated that the result of their illegal elections claimed I had 41 Votes even when I was in my house in Calabar. He promised to personally seeked redress in a law court.
Also speaking, Mr Bartholomew Edom who is contesting for National President debunked the result which he came second with 11 votes. According to him he is a law abiding citizen and as such was busy with his official work in Abuja after the Calabar High Court judgement on Friday ordered all parties to maintain status quo till 7th January 2020.
It would be recalled that a lecturer of Accounting Department, Cross River University of Technology, Mr Fabian Okwaije had earlier issued out a statement that he is aware of plans for the perpetrators of the illegal elections to put his name on the ballot at Ugep. He condemned the act and threatened further judicial actions to the effect.
Effort to reach Mr Eyam Abeng was unsuccessful as he wasn't picking his calls. While his legal adviser, Barr Ukam Ngwu couldn't be reach via his number.
Some of the electoral committee members who disclaimed the purpoted elections in Ugep according to the statement released were, Arch Ekpo Otu, Chairman, Mr Ajah Erem Esue the Secretary, Mrs Agnes Bassey, Michael Otunko, Prince victor One, Archiving Idongesit and Abua Romanus.
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