Untold Story of Impeachment Moves Against Bekwarra LGA Chairman

By Ndifereke BASSEY and Benjamin GBOR 

Fresh facts have emerged why the councillors are out to impeach Bekwarra local government area council chairman, Ms. Theresa Akwaji Ushie.

For over a two months now, t andhe councillors and the chairman have been at loggerheads over irreconcilable differences with regard to running of the council. While the councillors are accusing the chairman of high-handedness, the chairman on her own part alleges unfair treatment from the legislature.

THE BEAGLE NEWS investigations revealed that the plot to impeach the chairman is allegedly being sponsored by some APC top shots from Bekwarra including former council chairman and House of Reps member, Hon. Leghor Idagbo, top paramount rulers, the Vice Chairman of council, Mr Egbung Odama, and top party chapter officer of APC. 

It was learnt that these quartet have allegedly penetrated the councillors and convinced them to move against the chairman for not consulting with them in running affairs of council since she assumed office.

But further investigations showed that the stakeholders are discreetly fighting the chairman to see how they can destabilise the chairman and stop her from overseeing the pending APC chapter congress for fear that they may lose out.

The stakeholders are scared that the chairman may not play their script in choosing or selecting wards and chapter excos of the party, thereby making them irrelevant in the scheme of things.

THE BEAGLE NEWS scooped that the chairman is an old stock of APC while the above-mentioned names are new APC just as it is believed in some quarters that the chairman is an old ally of Governor Bassey Otu.

A source revealed that the chairman was not the candidate of these key stakeholders in Bekwarra politics, but was singlehandedly picked by Otu's kitchen cabinet as compensation for having been loyal to Otu all the while they were in "political wilderness."

Spearheading the plot to remove the chairman at the Legislature includes the Deputy Leader, Hon. Ekunke Adie, former councillor and an ally of a top politician in Bekwarra, who contested for chairmanship position with the incumbent chairman and lost out. He is said to be still having some misgivings with the chairman and is allegedly working in tandem with the Deputy Leader of the Legislature, Hon. Godwin Ejugu.

Ejugu is from Gakim ward and a close ally of the former chief of staff to Gov Ben Ayade, Chief Marthins Prim. The Majority Leader, Hon. Philip ( Abuochiche ward) is not left out in the circle of those championing the impeachment of the incumbent chairman. The Majority leader is piqued that he lobbied for a revenue point at abattoir and failed. So, he is said to be on a revenge mission.

Sources confided in THE BEAGLES NEWS that the chairman had told him to relax let other stakeholders be settled first and then they will reach out to him, but he felt slighted and jumped into the fray when opportunity presented itself.

However, sources further revealed that these key officers are hell bent on the impeachment moves because of the pending APC congresses. The trio are assiduously working hand-in-gloves with some top party men to make the council ungovernable ahead of the pending congress. 

 But the chairman is not resting on her oars as she has also been meeting with the councillors to find a lasting solution to the political imbroglio.

In one of the meetings with the councillors at her office recently, the chairman maintained that she has constantly informed them both in writing and through calls of all her official dealings, promising to continue to do that to improve upon their working relationship.

On revenue, the chairman also informed them that the LG only operates the haulage levy while others are handled by the Internal Revenue Services, advising that any further enquiries about Bekwarra.LG revenue should be channelled through DFS, revenue officer and Supervisor for Finance.

Recall that councilors of the Bekwarra Local Government Area in Cross River State have again filed a formal notice of impeachment against the Chairman of Council, Hon. Theresa Ushie, alleging corruption, abuse of power, and financial mismanagement.

In the petition addressed to the Deputy Governor, the councilors accused the Chairman of diverting internally generated revenue without remitting any into the council’s account since assuming office. 

The petition, dated May 19, 2025, and signed by councilors across various wards, accuses the Chairman of violating the provisions of Section 12 of the Local Government Law of Cross River State.

They also alleged she spends public funds without legislative approval and has repeatedly failed to hold Executive Council meetings.

The petition also claimed that the Chairman withheld ₦3 million meant for party stakeholders during Easter, a situation they said has triggered unrest within the local All Progressives Congress (APC).

“She behaves unethically and without morals. She mismanaged the funds of the council and has failed to uphold the duties of the office,” the petition reads in part.

The councilors further alleged that Hon. Ushie arbitrarily stopped the April salaries of some council members, including the Deputy Leader, after they called for financial accountability. 

They said her style of leadership has demoralized staff and pushed several senior officials, including the Head of Local Government Administration (HOLGA), to seek transfers.

Speaking on behalf of the group, the Leader of Council, Hon. Inah Thompson Adie, urged the state government to intervene promptly.

“We are taking this action in the interest of our people and to save the APC from collapse in Bekwarra. If nothing is done, we risk repeating the party’s experience in 2023,” he said.

The impeachment notice was signed by councilors representing Ukpah, Gakem, Abuochiche, Ugboro, Okpeche, Otukpuru, Ibiaragidi, and Ochagbe wards.

As of the time of filing this report, the State government is trying to broker peace and restore normalcy to the council.

Calls out across to Leghor, could not not go through, but the Vice Chairman Whining, said: 'I don't understand what you mean. I am the Vice Chairman and cannot get involved in an impeachment plot against my own chairman. It is not possible.

'I support her wholeheartedly and remain committed to her administration."