The All Progressives Congress (APC) has debunked claims that the recently appointed Resident Electoral Commissioner for Akwa Ibom State, Etekamba Umoren is a card-carrying member of the APC as alleged by the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in the State.

Recall that President Bola Tinubu, last week, appointed Etekamba, alongside nine others who were screened by the Senate as Resident Electoral Commissioners (RECs) of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).

The PDP however rejected the appointment claiming that Etekamba was ineligible for the role as he is a member of the ruling party APC and as such was going to be used by the party to rig polls as well as disrupt the proper order of things in the future.

In response to the claim, an APC stakeholder in the State, Eseme Eyibioh debunked these claims, describing them as malicious.

He asserted that the appointee as a bureaucrat and called on those making these claims to provide proof of Etekamba’s membership in the party by providing his membership card and name in that party register as required by the law.

“He is a bureaucrat who has served in the Government of Akwa Ibom State in different capacities over the years and is not a member of any political party.”

“Those who are alleging that Umoren adorned attire with APC inscription should go further by coming up with his membership card of the party and name in the party’s register in his ward as required by law.”

According to him, it takes more than being dressed in a party’s attire to be a member of the party and as such that alone cannot be used to judge if one is a member of a party or not.

“Membership of a party goes beyond wearing that attire of a party. It has more to do with being a card carrying member of the party and having a financial stand with the party by being a registered member whose name is in the party register.”

“So it is wrong for anybody or group of people to take an ordinary mode of dressing of a person at any time to ascribe membership of a party or organization to that person.”

Eyibioh stated that Umoren Etekamba is very qualified for the position he has been appointed into and assured Nigerians that Etekamba is sure to put in the work and be a successful REC in the State.