The Akwa Ibom State chapter have been threatened to be suspended by the National Board of the Nigeria Association of the Blind, against the Association from the national, which is described as an illegal election.

In a meeting, held at the conference hall of the Ministry of Women Affairs, the state chapter has set up an electoral committee to conduct the election disregarding the directives of NAB.

In a letter addressed to Governor Eno by the National President of the association, Stanley Oyebuchi, on Thursday and signed by the South-South Zonal Coordinator, Nkemakonam Ofili, claimed that the State Commissioner, Ministry of Women Affairs and Social Welfare, Mrs Nene Bassey, was causing constitutional crisis in the chapter by assisting the outgone state chairman, Ubong Akpan, to conduct an election against the constitution of the union.

The chairman claimed that though Akpan’s tenure as the state chairman expired in August 2023, he extended his tenure for eight more months, forcing the national board to dissolve the state executive as prescribed in the constitution.

Ubong added that a five-man committee was set up to control the affairs of the union for three months during which an election can be conducted.

He complained that Akpan has refused to conduct the elections during his tenure, on the assumption that the ministry did not release funds for the election, immediately  set up an electoral committee in an executive meeting held in the conference hall of the ministry, in disregard and abuse of the association constitution.

“We consider the action of Nene Basey, Dr Ini Adiakpan, and the immediate past state chairman as illegal and fragrant abuse of NAB’s constitution.

“Should the purported and illegal election be held on Friday (today) we will not only suspend the chapter from NAB national but also write to all our affiliate organizations as well as our international partners to suspend all inclusion projects, activities, and programs in the state because of government unnecessary interference in disability organization management,” parts of the letter read.

However, Ini Adiakpan, the commissioner of Women Affairs, at the time of filing the report could not be reached for comments.

Also, Nene Bassey, the Special Assistant to the governor on persons with disabilities, said to the newsmen to contact a higher authority, adding that she has limitations to her duties.

She said, “I think you should call the higher authority not me, I work under jurisdictions and I have limitations to my duties”.