The Nation Newspaper

Tag: Rivers APC

  • 2027: ‘Rivers APC will only take instructions from Wike’

    2027: ‘Rivers APC will only take instructions from Wike’

    • FCT minister visits Ahoada council

    The All Progressives Congress (APC) in Ahoada West Local Government Area of Rivers State has pledged to take instructions only from Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Minister Nyesom Wike on what to do ahead of the 2027 general election.

    This is coming on the heels of the political situation in the state. 

    Since last week, Wike has been visiting local government areas across Rivers State for what he called a ‘thank you visit’.

    APC chairman in Ahoada West, Rejoice Otobo, told the party’s supporters that Wike had shown love to the people of Rivers State and that the party had decided to follow his instructions.

    Otobo, who described the political situation in the state as unfortunate, noted that Rivers State needs someone who listens to the people.

    The APC chairman said the powerful people in the local governments were with the minister.

    He said: “We await instructions from you on the 2027 elections concerning Rivers State. Wherever you ask us to go, there we shall go; whatever you ask us to do is what we will do.

    READ ALSO: Timini Egbuson, Dakore lose father

    “All the good and the bad people of the local governments have decided that where you want us to go is where we will go.”

    His counterpart in the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Ikechukwu Obuzor, said Wike has given Ahoada residents hope, and he pledged complete loyalty to the FCT minister.

    “I want to say that we are standing firm with you. Wherever you go, we will go. Rest assured, come 2027, Ahoada West will deliver the needed results for you,” he said.

    Earlier, the Chairman of Ahoada Local Government Area, Mr. Chita Eugene, who described Wike as “the political Field Marshall of the Southsouth”, praised him for the unprecedented development he attracted to Rivers State.

    Eugene noted that Wike’s visit was not just to show gratitude but also to celebrate effective leadership and public service.

    Also, the House of Representatives member representing Ahoada West/Ogba-Egbema/Ndoni Federal Constituency, Victor Obuzor, said Wike deserved his support because the minister had done well for the local government and equally transformed Rivers State during his tenure as governor.

    Similarly, the Seyi Tinubu Support Group, led by Chidi Amadi, pledged their support to Wike and the reelection of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu for a second term.

    Wike, who addressed the people, insisted that decisions had been taken to dump Governor Similalayi Fubara in 2027.

    He said the governor lacked the capacity to lead.

    The FCT minister expressed appreciation to the people for the overwhelming support given to him and President Tinubu during the 2023 elections.

    He noted that Rivers State used to be respected for its strong political stand on good governance.

    Wike said Fubara would not het a second term.

    The minister stressed the need to restore the glory of the state in the political landscape of the country.

    He said: “Already, Rivers State is being respected because of what we are doing in the FCT. We need a leader we can trust to drive our dear state to glory and progress.

    “This is the only state that we have to mobilise other political parties. Here, we are not talking about parties; we are talking about one family, the people.

    “What we have here is a broad-based, inclusive tradition, a kind of political rainbow. Very few states can achieve that level of unity. My hope is that one day, we will collectively take a decision and focus our strength on one political platform ahead of 2027.

    “As for those on the other side, we are not interested in a conflict. Leadership requires that all of us go back, coordinate, and ensure everyone works together. I have no complaints about that.

    “I can clearly see organic unity. Let me be honest with you: we have made mistakes in the past during political negotiations. I will not lie to you about that. But we will not repeat those mistakes again.

    “We had a first agreement; someone emerged. We had a second agreement, and again someone emerged. Look at the challenges that followed. We will not make that mistake again. That is my personal position. Please, do not quote me out of context.

    “When I was governor, I made it clear: we cannot go backwards; we cannot retreat. Politics requires firmness and clarity.

    The competition has collapsed because the people have spoken.

    “Despite attempts to undermine us, we remain standing. No one has been cheated. No one has been sidelined. Rivers State has been shown love, and that love is being reciprocated.

    “Who would have believed that a peaceful Rivers man would become the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory? Yet, by the grace of God, we are delivering results. What you see today in the FCT reflects the contribution and character of Rivers people.

    “Anywhere you go in Nigeria, when people talk about our work, they ask questions. Your response should be simple: support what is working. Where governance is effective, encourage it.

    “This is the time to act. This is the time for everyone to come together and do what is right. No one should assume automatic entitlement. Leadership must be earned through trust and unity.”

  • Campaign of calumny against Tunji-Ojo won’t work, says Rivers APC

    Campaign of calumny against Tunji-Ojo won’t work, says Rivers APC

    The spokesperson of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Rivers State, Darlington Nwauju, has described what he described as the coordinated attacks on the Minister of Interior, Dr Olubunmi Tunji-Ojo by desperate politicians as a failed project.

    Nwauju recalled that a group named Concerned Nigerians in the Diaspora United Kingdom (CND-UK) last week demanded the Minister’s suspension on issues already debated in the public domain and thrashed as part of history.

    He said the attempt to resurrect the issue of the Minister ‘s NYSC certificate was unbelievable because according to him the Minister never forged the document and the empirical evidence that he was mobilised for the national service was not in doubt.

    Nwauju said: “Whereas there is no offence of perjury or falsification of documents or records, what then is the hullabaloo all about?

    “Nigerians are interested in the major issue of the day which is the undeniable fact that this Minister has outshone all his predecessors in office put together.

    “I challenge them to a public debate on all available performance  indices, if by any stretch of luck to agree to such public debates, maybe they will realize the folly in embarking on needless mob attack against a Minister that has proven to be more patriotic than most of those attempting to distract him.

    READ ALSO: Finance Minister getting better, says Dare

    “Have a Minister in cabinet who has been a better salesman of the Nigerian brand through the introduction of several innovative ideas,  dismantling the burden of inefficiency that clogged service delivery in all the paramilitary agencies under the Ministry of Interior, prioritizing welfare of these with the promotion of over 50,000 officers and men, opening up these agencies for recruitment of youths with the recent employment drive”.

    Nwauju in a statement on Tuesday said the politicisation of an individual’s public records in the guise of scrutinising a public servant was not part of the issues people were interested in.

    He said: “Nigerians are more interested in the fact that their passport application/issuance processes has become seamless and do not have to fall into hands of middlemen or offering bribes-for-services.

    “Nigerians are interested in the openings coming out of the parastatals under the Interior Ministry that will take our youths out of the labour market by offering them pensionable jobs.

    “Nigerians are interested in discussing the fact that once upon a time, they endured embarrassing moments stepping into our embassies abroad to get their passports renewed only to get stuck in our embassies/missions waiting for weeks and months and some having to waste their savings flying down to Nigeria just to get passports renewed”.

    Nwauju said the visible and verifiable reforms introduced by this minister could not be downplayed by the handiwork of desperadoes.

    “Those who have suddenly woken up to re-introduce an issue long rested, have not really told Nigerians what they actually want.

    “Finally, I will suggest they find more ingenious ways of presenting their attacksInterior Ministry under Dr Tunji-Ojo and cannot find a way around discrediting his Ministerial credentials”.

  • Rivers APC slams UK group’s call for Tunji-Ojo’s suspension, describes it as “unpatriotic”

    Rivers APC slams UK group’s call for Tunji-Ojo’s suspension, describes it as “unpatriotic”

    …says interior minister remains one of Tinubu administration’s most effective performers

    The All Progressives Congress (APC) in Rivers State has described as “most unpatriotic” the call by a United Kingdom-based group, Concerned Nigerians in the Diaspora (CND-UK), for the suspension of the Minister of Interior, Dr. Olubunmi Tunji-Ojo.

    In a statement issued on Thursday, the APC spokesperson in Rivers State, Darlington Nwauju, accused the diaspora group of engaging in “idle talk and political mischief,” saying its claims lacked credibility and patriotic intent.

    CND-UK had alleged that Dr. Tunji-Ojo was using his office and influence to dominate political structures in some parts of the country ahead of the 2027 general elections—a claim Nwauju dismissed as “the Olympian height of preposterousness.”

    “Politics is about who gets what, when, and how. So long as the Minister’s activities do not exceed the acceptable benchmarks of conduct as a public officer, how does his political association affect the CND-UK? Is this group or its leader, Dr. Abanikanda Olumoro, trying to vitiate Dr. Tunji-Ojo’s constitutional right to associate with other Nigerians?”, Nwauju queried.

    READ ALSO; Prof. Amupitan: 10 quick facts about new INEC chairman

    The APC spokesman described the allegations as “a hatchet job” by political opponents envious of the Minister’s performance, adding that Dr. Tunji-Ojo has become one of the most effective public office holders in President Bola Tinubu’s administration.

    “Even when you look at the remarks about marketing Nigeria, I ask which Minister in the current cabinet has been a better salesman of the Nigerian brand through commitment to duty, innovation, frugality, and exceeding revenue targets?” he stated.

    Nwauju challenged the patriotism of CND-UK, alleging that the group had been “co-opted as a conduit pipe for desperate political actors” intent on tarnishing the Minister’s image.

    He noted that the group had never previously shown concern for Nigeria’s welfare, particularly during the period when the country faced a major passport application crisis.

    “This same group never raised any advocacy when Nigerians suffered from delays in passport issuance. But someone—Dr. Tunji-Ojo stepped in and fixed the system,” he said.

    Addressing the group’s reference to the 2020 National Assembly probe of the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC), Nwauju dismissed its claims as baseless and misleading.

    “As someone who was part of that process, I can say categorically that it is false to claim Prof. Daniel Pondei staged a walkout. He gasped for breath under the weight of incontrovertible evidence,” he said.

    He further criticised CND-UK for citing the Policy and Legal Advocacy Centre (PLAC) report on the matter, describing it as “an incoherent act that smacks of unseriousness and lack of due diligence.”

    The Rivers APC spokesman also challenged the group to use the Freedom of Information Act to verify the ownership structure of New Planet Projects Ltd., insisting that the facts would exonerate the Minister of any wrongdoing.

    “Let them get the facts before spreading falsehood. This call for Tunji-Ojo’s suspension only exposes the jealousy of political opponents bewildered by the transformation recorded in the Interior Ministry,” Nwauju said.

    He concluded that Dr. Tunji-Ojo’s stewardship had positively marketed Nigeria’s image globally, contrary to the “false narrative” being peddled by the diaspora group.

    “The Interior Ministry has witnessed transformation under Dr. Tunji-Ojo, and his achievements continue to speak for themselves,” Nwauju declared.

  • JUST IN: Resign or face impeachment, Rivers APC tell Fubara

    JUST IN: Resign or face impeachment, Rivers APC tell Fubara

    The All Progressives Congress (APC), in Rivers State has called on Governor Siminalayi Fubara to resign or face impeachment.

    APC made the call while reacting to Fubara’s invitation to a breakfast meeting with the 27 Pro-Wike lawmakers at Government House on Monday.  

    Rivers APC chairman Tony Okocha described the invitation as a Greek Gift. 

    Okocha recalled how much the Governor has disrespected President Ahmed Tinubu after his intervention when the crisis started in 2023 and even abused court judgements with impunity.

    He said: “The invitation to the lawmakers is a Greek Gift. The Supreme Court Judgement is final. There is nothing anybody can do about it. The only option available to the Governor now is for him to resign or be impeached.”

    Read Also: BREAKING: Fubara invites Speaker Amaewhule, Assembly members for crucial meeting

    Feilding questions from journalists on the Governor’s invitation, Okocha said: “My response to the Greek gift the Governor is attempting to extend to the 27 Lawmakers is it is not within the ambits of the law and it is already belated.

    “It is stupidity that made Nza (small specie of bird) to challenge his chi (god), to a fight. We have always told the Governor that if he brings insect-infested firewood to his house, he has literally invited  lizards to a feast.”

    Details Shortly…

  • Rivers APC commends interior ministry’s budget performance

    Rivers APC commends interior ministry’s budget performance

    …urges MDAs to follow suit

    …calls for emulation of budget performance

    The Rivers State chapter of the All Progressives Congress (APC) has praised the outstanding budget performance of the Federal Ministry of Interior under the leadership of Dr. Olubunmi Tunji-Ojo. 

    The party urged other Ministries, Departments, and Agencies (MDAs) to adopt similar strategies to enhance budget implementation.

    In a statement signed by its spokesperson, Darlington Nwauju, the APC commended the Interior Ministry for surpassing its N2 billion Internally Generated Revenue (IGR) target for the 2024 fiscal year. 

    The ministry recorded an impressive remittance of over N5.6 billion to the federal treasury, despite operating with zero capital allocation.

    “The bottom-to-top approach to budget implementation adopted by the Interior Ministry under Dr. Tunji-Ojo has eliminated wastages and prioritized value delivery. This approach underlines the importance of needs assessment in developing policies and projects that truly serve the interest of ordinary Nigerians”, the statement read. 

    The Rivers APC urged MDAs at all levels of government to scrutinize annual budgets more carefully, ensuring that public funds are channeled toward policies and projects that deliver tangible benefits to the people.

    Read Also; How to unlock untapped potential in oil industry, by Tinubu

    “We believe that adopting such a value delivery strategy will translate into workable, people-centered policy frameworks. The hard work and patriotism demonstrated by Dr. Tunji-Ojo should serve as an example for other public servants to save the nation from wastage on recurrent expenditures”, Nwauju emphasised.

    The statement also called on Nigerians and the media to take greater interest in the budgeting process, particularly in tracking implementation and highlighting both achievements and lapses in public service. 

    “The media should not only report wastages and corrupt practices but also celebrate remarkable achievements like this,” the APC spokesperson added.

    The party further appealed to the National Assembly to increase allocations for the Interior Ministry in the 2025 budget, arguing that the ministry’s stellar performance and its role in managing critical paramilitary agencies justify greater support.

    “It would be a disservice to the nation if the National Assembly does not collaborate with the Interior Ministry to enhance its capacity. Overhead, personnel costs, and allocations for capital projects should be improved to sustain the ministry’s fantastic performance”, the statement declared. 

    The Rivers APC described the ministry’s achievement as a milestone worthy of national commendation, urging all stakeholders to support its efforts in addressing Nigeria’s internal security and governance challenges.

  • PHOTOS: Explosion rocks Rivers APC Secretariat

    PHOTOS: Explosion rocks Rivers APC Secretariat

    Explosion rocks Rivers APC Secretariat

  • BREAKING: Explosion rocks Rivers APC Secretariat 

    BREAKING: Explosion rocks Rivers APC Secretariat 

    Explosions have rocked the All Progressives Congress (APC) Secretariat located along the bush Aba Road in Port Harcourt, Rivers State.

    It was gathered that the explosives suspected to be dynamites shattered buildings and property in the secretariat, creating panic in the neighborhood.

    The explosion reportedly pulled down the gate of the secretariat destroying doors, windows among other valuables.

    The incident happened on the day scheduled for the controversial local government elections in the State. 

    It was learnt that it was the second time the Chief Tony Okocha-led APC would be experiencing such an attack at its secretariat.

    Details Shortly…

  • Rivers APC directs lawmakers to impeach Fubara

    Rivers APC directs lawmakers to impeach Fubara

    • It is a smokescreen, says govt
    • Clark seeks  IG’s intervention

    The peace deal in Rivers State appears to have  completely broken down.

    The opposition All Progressives Congress(APC) directed its members in the House of Assembly to immediately commence impeachment proceeding against Governor Siminialayi Fubara.

    The party warned that it would invoke its rules against  its  lawmakers in the House if they failed to comply with the directive .

    The APC has 27 members in the assembly, with the ruling Peoples Democratic Party (PDP)  has only five lawmakers.

    Caretaker Committee Chairman of the state APC Tony Okocha told reporters yesterday that the decision followed Fubara’s  outburst that the Martin Amaehwule-led Assembly had seized to exist in the eyes of the law.

    Fubara had during a visit by the Bayelsa State delegation of traditional   and political leaders in Port Harcourt, said  ‘’those group of men who claim to be Assembly members are not existing. I want it to be on record that I accepted that peace accord to give them a floating (soft-landing).’’

    He also told the delegation that everything  in the truce brokered by President Bola Tinubu  was political and not  constitutional.

    But Okocha, who was described by the state’s  Information and Communication Commissioner  Joseph Johnson,  as lacking the locus standi to direct the governor’s impeachment,  said the APC in the state would not fold its hands and watch Fubara  “insult Mr President.”

    Accusing  the governor of not being a respecter of the rule, running the state with impunity and ridiculing Rivers State, Okocha said he(Fubara) was now a man whose ‘’head  has  become bigger than his pillow.’’

    He said: “The President is the leader  of our own party. It  will  amount to stupidity on our party to sit down and see somebody who weighs less than Mr President insult him(Tinubu) under our very nose.

    “It is also   absurd to see the governor begin to  intimidate  people who are members of our political party and we stand   akimbo doing nothing.

    “We are   here to respond vehemently and soundly to them. And as chairman of APC Rivers  State, and as representative of Mr. President, we will not sit down here and see the governor insult Mr. President, we won’t sit down here and see the governor declare on his own as if he is a court, the seats of the Assembly members vacant.

    “On Monday, the governor said there was no issues in the  state. He   was heard threatening fire and brimstone. In  fact, he  rewrote the 1999  Constitution when he said  that the House of Assembly of Rivers State does not exist and that for it  to even exist, it must be on his whims and caprices;  that whatever    they are doing is because he allowed them. That means that he has rewritten   the country’s Constitution and removed the Legislature.  He  is now running two arms of government in the state– the Executive and  Judiciary.

    “This is completely   absurd  in whichever way you look at it. This is nothing but the tendencies of a despot, a dictator and totalitarian leader.  

    Read Also: Dangote, BUA, Lafarge, others get 14 days to appear before House panel

    “To that extent, in consultation with my party, we have redirected and we’re directing the APC members who are members of the Assembly to immediately commence the impeachment of Governor Siminialayi Fubara.

    “We have directed members of Rivers State House of Assembly to begin a process of impeachment of a comatose government;  a government  that does not respect the rule of law. His head has become bigger than his pillow, we will no longer tolerate it.

    “He no longer respects the rule of law; he does anything he cares to do, that is impunity  and we will  not  sit down  here to see Rivers State become a laughing stock in the comity of nations. This is unacceptable.”

    Information Commissioner  Johnson  said Okocha’s  directive to the lawmakers was a jamboree.  

    Stating  that Okocha was only raising a smokescreen, he  claimed   that the governor never said that the state had no House of Assembly.

    The commissioner  said: “Tony Okocha by definition is an acting caretaker chairman and you know once there exists a caretaker, it means there is a substantive chairman of APC in the name of Chief Emeka Beke. 

    “That matter is before the jury and on the issue of whether he has the power to direct,  the answer is no.

    “Section 109(1g) of the  1999 Constitution which is our ground norm has already eliminated the existence of those young men who crossed from the major political party(PDP) to another party.   APC as a matter of fact does not have leadership. They have a leadership that is Tony Okocha on one hand, in contention with Chief Emeka Beke on the other hand, so whose report shall we follow?

    “So, the governor was right to say that by our own law, the 1999 Constitution   says that once an Assembly member    that has moves from his own political party that brought him to power, once he defects he losses. No court on our land can change it, once the Constitution states a thing it becomes law.

    “What Tony Okocha is raising is a smokescreen. He is standing on one leg. He does not have the locus standi to direct. And let me assure you, Rivers people will resist it to the last point.”

    *Clark urges IG to  wade in

    Ijaw National Leader  Edwin Clark  advised that the crisis in the state must be put to an end.

    Clark, in an open letter to   Inspector General of Police Kayode Egbetokun  warned that the crisis could result in anarchy if not nipped in the bud.  

    He explained that by   virtue of section 109 (1g) 2 of the 1999 Constitution, the 27 lawmakers ceased to be members of the House of Assembly  since they   defected  from the PDP to the opposition APC.

    The letter partly reads:  “ We owe it as an obligation to support President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s Government which will be one year on the 29th of May.

    “We must therefore condemn and prevent any action by any individual or group of individuals that would threaten the peace, stability and unity of this country.

    “We have no other country to go to if there is any uncontrollable crisis in the country and this is the main reason why I have been involved in the looming crisis in Rivers State between the former Governor  Nyesom Wike who is now the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory and the current Governor, His Excellency, Siminalayi Fubara, which is spreading like wildfire and every attempt by Mr President to resolve it amicably has not succeeded.

    “I had earlier advised and appealed to our President  to call his Minister Nyesom Wike to order to avoid this looming crisis and that the interest of the entire country should supersede the interest of an individual or a small group of people otherwise the consequences will be disastrous.

    “The 27 former members of the Rivers State House of Assembly have automatically forfeited their seats in accordance with section 109 (1g) 2 of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria 1999 as amended .

     He therefore urged the Police IG to the   lawmakers  from parading themselves and making provocative statements to intimidate and increase tension in Rivers State which may one day burst into open conflagration.’’

  • Rivers APC members urged to support Okocha

    Rivers APC members urged to support Okocha

    A legacy member of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Rivers State, Prof. Lawrence Chuku, has urged members to support Tony Okocha-led Caretaker Committee (CTC), for the party’s growth.

    He said factions no longer exist in Rivers APC and advised members, particularly leaders of the party, to recognise the new leadership as appointed by the APC National Working Committee (NWC), and stop all forms of backdoor and window businesses in the party; noting that it will not work.

    The don spoke when he led party leaders in Obio-Akpor Local Government to pay a congratulatory/solidarity visit to CTC members in Port Harcourt.

    The people visited under the aegis of concerned APC leaders in Obio-Akpor. They pledged loyalty to the new leadership and enjoined members to forgive one another for the good of the party.

    He said: “We have no name; we’re concerned leaders of APC in Obio-Akpor Local Government. We have come here today to congratulate you and your exco on your appointment. We’re here to show solidarity and our unalloyed commitment to work with this Caretaker Committee under the leadership of Okocha.

    “This step is necessary since there cannot be two APC factions in Rivers State. It is only one APC that is recognised by the National Working Committee (NWC).”

    Read Also; Cold war brewing between Wasiu Ayinde and Emmanuella?

    “We have also come to say that we are committed to APC in Rivers State under your leadership and we’re committed to the APC under the national leadership of Abdullahi Ganduje and our national leader, President Bola Ahmed Tinubu. This is basically why we are here.”

    He appealed to aggrieved members to place the success and progress of the party above their anger and personal interests and join hands to rebuild the party.

    “I want to take this opportunity to tell members of APC in Rivers State that today the National Working Committee (NWC) has deemed it fit to appoint Okocha and his team to lead this party, to bring everybody together. No matter where you think you were offended, I am calling on every member of our party in Rivers State to forget the past and work with this CTC led by Okocha.”

    Corroborating Chuku, the former chairman of APC in Obio-Akpor Local Government, Sydney Ihechie, said: “You know the character of most of us here that we’re not the kind of people who are pushed because of stomach infrastructure. When we say we’re with you, we’re with you and when we say we’re not with you, even when heaven can fall, we’re not with you.

    “We’re saying 100 per cent we are with you and your team, as far as Obio-Akpor Council is concerned.

    “Please open your arms as a father and welcome everyone of us. In power struggle, you must step on toes, but what is important is that when there is victory, you must bring everybody together as a father. This is the essence of leadership.”

    Okocha promised to integrate every member of the party into the system, but warned against sinister motives.

    He said it was time for the party to prepare and strategise on how to win elections in Rivers and not time to engage in quarrels.

    Okocha insisted that Governor Siminialayi Fubara should be prepared to conduct another round of council election for a fresh tenure of office and not think of appointing CTC, as that had been outlawed by the Supreme Court.

  • Anger in Amaechi’s camp over dissolution of Rivers APC exco

    Anger in Amaechi’s camp over dissolution of Rivers APC exco

    There is anger within the camp of a former Transport Minister, Rotimi Amaechi, following the dissolution of the Rivers State Executive Committee of the All Progressives Congress (APC) by the party’s National Working Committee (NWC) led by Abdullahi Ganduje.

    It was gathered that Ganduje’s decision to go ahead and inaugurate a seven-man Caretaker Committee led by Chief Tony Okocha to berth a new APC in the state further unsettled the Amaechi’s camp.

    The chairman of the state executive committee, Chief Emeka Beke, immediately rejected the move insisting that nobody could dissolve an elected committee on the pages of newspapers or on television.

    Also, the committee in a statement issued by the state Publicity Secretary, Darlington Nwauju, described the dissolution as extra-constitutional.

    Read Also: I’m a true Ijaw son, says Fubara

    He said: “The issued purported dissolution of the State Executives of the APC in Rivers State is extra-constitutional and falls flat in the face of sound crisis management and peace building.

    “The NWC cannot without approval by the NEC take such extreme measures as dissolve duly elected executives  of the party or grant waivers for any individual to occupy positions who is not qualified under our Constitution to do so.

    “Leaving our party in the hands of political undertakers is too much of a risk for all progressive minded individuals in Rivers State”.

    But the sacked committee on Friday rushed to the court to stop the inauguration of a technical committee for Rivers APC through a suit filed by one Peter Onochukwu said to be representing members of the Rivers Executive Committee.

    The suit filed at the High Court of the Federal Capital Territory in the Abuja Judicial Division had Ganduje, Senator Surajudeen Basiru, Chief Tony Okocha, Eric Nwibani, the Nigeria Police Force, the Inspector-General of Police and the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) as defendants/respondents.

    The sacked exco in an ex parte application is seeking an order of interim injunction restraining the defendants/respondents from taking any steps whatsoever that is capable of affecting, destroying, or distorting the res in this matter, which is the performance of the functions and duties of the claimant/applicant as an elected official of the state executive committee of APC Rivers State pending the determination of the motion on notice.