Koko Dan, who aspired to be state chairman of the All Progressives Congress, APC, Cross River State, in last Saturday’s state congress of the party, has vehemently insisted to www.calitown.com that he was excluded from running as state chairman of the APC and is going to court as legal modalities have been concluded to challenge the process.
Dan who spoke in an exclusive interview, informed that “…for me, someone who has been in the party since the CPC days, up until now, and one of the major financers of the APC in Cross River State…for anybody to now turn around and think of excluding me from vying for chairman simply shows that the person doesn’t mean well for the party and all of us in the party.”
“I was sold the chairmanship form at the national secretariat in Abuja and I obtained my tax clearance as well as fulfilled all requirement as required by the party guidelines .The screening committee didn’t invite me for screening neither was any screening report submitted to the Appeal Committee or the National Working Committee of the party. As a party member and a contestant, I wasn’t informed of any screening date, venue or date of the election by the committee. You know before a congress takes place, there is a Congress Committee in place and then an Appeals Committee, suited to the process; it is in the guidelines of our party. These two critical committees were not functional in this particular instance and those who are singing the chorus that somebody was the concensus candidate knows that the party sold form to me. We all know that a consensus is an agreeable decision taken by party members, in the event that other party members show interest in the contest, such a consensus can only be achieved if they all write letters of withdrawal from the process and agree to a consensus; it was not so in this particular process.”
He was particular that, “there indeed is so much that will be thrown up and I can assure you that the insult of excluding me is going to show that impunity will find no place in the APC in CRS”.
Continuing: “Look, in the Federal College of Education, FCE, Obudu, in my Obudu/Bekwarra/Obanliku Federal Constituency, I created a free internet hotspot for students, teaching and non teaching staff to enhance academic work and I was diligently spending N43,000 (forty three thousand naira) a day, for 13 months. This was one initiative that bolstered APC membership and popularity. I also gave the people a resource centre, kept a phone there with a recharge balance of N500,000, so that anybody who had a pressing need to make a phone call but had no credit, will simply walk in and make a call. Little things like this served a need that was properly assessed. Wasn’t I the person who single handedly paid and furnished the APC secretariats in Obudu, Bekwara and Obanliku, with televisions, satellite television, generators,and phones loaded monthly with 500,000.00 for people to make free phones calls. when all of these people were not in the party. Ask around, didn’t I sponsor the 336 participants from the 30 wards and three chapters chairmen for the ward and local government congresses? In the party’s last national convention, I paid for 270 rooms hotel in Abuja and gave 20,000 each to them to get bread on their way home for the party’s sake. These are open books. Where were all these people when I was doing these things?”
“See, some of my party folks were excommunicated from their communities for supporting APC, later on, they were fined and asked to bring pigs, cartons of beers, palm wine and 12 kolanuts to appease the community. I single handedly bought nine pigs, 27 cartons of beers, kolanuts and supported them to pay for the fine so they can return back to their homes.
Dan came clear that when he ran for political office in 2019, he didn’t take his opponent to court and “I was the only candidate who never went to court”, isn’t that political sportsmanship? “I was accused of receiving N200 million from Ayade, someone who doesn’t know me . I met him for the first time five days ago in the course of negotiating the need for the congress. The last ward congress, we had a stakeholders meeting in Calabar and the agreed that we should all go to our various ward and have a consensus. No money was given, I went home, bought three goats, cooked varieties of food, brought the best champagne and whisky, 50 cartons of bear, 250 liters of palm wine and the ward congress turned out well. Refreshments were not restricted to only my ward, Utugwang North; all other wards came, have fun and we were all happy. During the affirmation, the committee approached me and complained of the N30,000 given to them, I had to give them N100,000 and foot other bills. Am I an appointee of government? Did government make provision to cover these party expenses? No. I think clearly that this saga has only just begun, I am human and I don’t have the strength to absolutely keep quiet over a thing like this.”
“It’s not about the governor or the stakeholders or the person who emerged. By the way, Alphonsus Eba has been my long standing friend and I think he as an individual, will not accept such losses, over the past and the manner of my exclusion. I say it boldly, my commitment overtime has been deliberately abused and so many things will be revealed in court, I promise you”, he ended.
