The Rivers State chapter of the All Progressives Congress (APC) has hailed the decision of the National Working Committee (NWC) of the party to approve the adoption of indirect primaries for Rivers for the September 29 election.
The Publicity Secretary of APC in Rivers, Chris Finebone, yesterday evening in Port Harcourt, stated that the decision on indirect primaries in Rivers was in line with the resolution of the expanded State Executive Committee (SEC), taken at its meeting of September 6, 2018, as directed by the National Executive Committee (NEC) of the party.
Finebone noted that In the September 6 meeting, the direct, indirect and consensus options were critically examined and the majority of members overwhelmingly voted to adopt the indirect mode of primaries.
The lawmaker representing Rivers Southeast Senatorial District, Senator Magnus Abe, who is also a governorship aspirant, however, kicked against the latest decision of the NWC of APC.
Abe spoke on a local radio in Port Harcourt yesterday evening, insisting that the NEC of APC earlier approved direct primary election for Rivers and that the decision could not be overruled by the members of NWC, led by Comrade Adams Oshiomhole, while urging his teeming supporters to remain calm, peaceful and never to take the law into their own hands.
At Abe’s parallel secretariat of APC at Waterlines Bus Stop, Aba Road, Port Harcourt, a former Deputy Chairman of the party, Prince Peter Odike, is Acting Chairman. The faction at its SEC meeting voted for direct primary election for picking the governorship candidate of APC in Rivers.
Finebone said: “It is satisfying that all the reasons adduced for adopting the indirect mode of primaries were found to be convincing, well-thought out and altruistic, hence the acceptance of the option for Rivers State by the NWC (of APC).
“It is important to emphasise that the eventual approval of the indirect option does not suggest that at the end of the argument there is a victor and a vanquished. Instead, it is our great party, and not any individual, that carried the day. Only one option will always be adopted at a given time.”