Eba Alleges Plot to Demolish Calabar Residence Amid Election Tensions

Barr. Alphonsus Eba, immediate past chairman of the All Progressives Congress, APC, in Cross River State and now the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, deputy governorship candidate, has raised concerns over his Calabar home.

Eba alleged that the Gov. Bassey Otu administration has earmarked his residence for demolition.

Speaking to LEADERSHIP during a telephone call on Monday in Calabar, Eba said the move was politically motivated.

“A particular agency owned by the Gov Bassey Otu’s administration had earmarked my residence for demolition,” he stated, adding that “it’s uncalled for.”

Officials from the Cross River State Planning and Development Control Taskforce reportedly acted on the matter on Monday.

They pasted a Demolition Notice on the gate of Eba’s residence in Water Board Estate, Calabar. The notice, with reference number CRS/PDCT/043, “directed that all activities on the property should cease immediately.”

Part of the notice read: “Demolition Notice by order of the Cross River State Planning and Development Control Taskforce. All work on this site must stop immediately. Violators will be prosecuted.”

Responding swiftly, Eba accused the government of abandoning political decorum. “There should be no politics with decency. They are crossing the line of decency by whatever threat they are trying to issue,” he said.

He vowed not to be deterred: “If you like you destroy the house, if you like you kill me today, if you like you do anything to me, it would not stop me from running elections whether my body is alive or not, but my soul would be on the ballot.” He said.

Eba maintained that “I am over-determined. By the Grace of God, we are playing it decently. He should not cross the line of decency.”

Eba also addressed his political shift, stressing that “Aspiration is not a crime, they were the ones who expelled me from the APC. It’s PDP that has resurrected me. To them, they had finished me politically. But PDP resurrected me. So they should thank the PDP.”

He stressed that he is not in conflict with Gov. Otu personally, saying, “I am not fighting him; I gave him a mandate to become Governor, he paid me in bad coin, but God brought me out from the ground to glory.”

He added that he is “very happy to work with Sir Arthur Jarvis, the PDP Governor’s candidate and Prof Sandy Onor for us to liberate Cross River State,” concluding, “Our message is very clear. We are coming to do only one term to complete the tenure of the South.” In a telephone conversation with the Chief Press Secretary, CPS to Gov. Otu, Mr Linus Obogu, for reaction, Obogu said, ” This is the first time I have heard this. Please get across to the agency to find out.” I will find out who is in charge of that agency or task force and get back to you,” Obogu stated.