The Chairman of Calabar Municipality Local Government Area in Cross River state, Effefiong Nta, has allegedly locked out the entire traditional Rulers Council of the area from holding a stakeholders meeting with the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, governorship candidate, Sen Sandy Onor.
The locked monarch’s secretariat is located within the premises of the council.
The Paramount ruler of the Municipality, HRM (Ntoe) Ita Etta, told newsmen in front of the secretariat that no cogent reason was given for locking them out.
The Ndidem of the Qua’s and Paramount Ruler of Calabar Municipality explained that the clan heads of the council area were to have a meeting with the governorship candidate of PDP, when they discovered that their secretariat was locked.
His words: “We had received a notice from the PDP governorship candidate that he will meet with us (traditional rulers) by 2pm in our secretariat, which is usually where we hold all our functions and activities.
“As you can see, the secretariat is locked up and the Chairman didn’t tell us why he did what he did, and you can see soldiers everywhere also.”
Meanwhile, an authority in the council, who pleaded anonymity, said the chairman of the council gave an instruction this morning that the traditional rulers’ secretariat should be locked up.
“He also gave a directive that no meeting of any kind should take place in the secretariat. I am only working based on directive,” he stated.
“There is no issue here, the traditional rulers met here this month of January and we were also surprised when the directives was given,” the source said.
When our source Vanguard, visited the secretariat, a truckload of soldiers (Op Akpakwu) was stationed in the premises.
