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Tag: Rivers APC

  • Appeal court upholds nullification of Rivers APC congresses

     

    A special Appeal panel sitting in Port Harcourt, the Rivers State capital on Wednesday struck out the three appeal suits by factional chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Rivers state, Ojukaye Flag Amachree, on the October 10, 2018 judgement of a state High court over the outcome of the party’s congresses held last May.

    Twenty-three aggrieved members of the party, who protested their exclusion from the party’s ward, local government and state congresses ahead of the party’s national congress held same May in Abuja, had approached the court to stop the perceived illegal exercise from taking place in the state.

    The aggrieved persons, who allegedly purchased forms to contest for various position at the state but claimed to have been illegally excluded filed the suit  under the name, Ibrahim Umar and 22 others verses the APC.

    At the originating summon, the plaintiffs were granted their prayers as the High Court presided over by Justice Chinwendu Nwogu issued an order of injunction stopping the conduct of the congresses.

    But the APC ignored the order and conducted the exercise, which later produced Amachree and others as the incumbent state party executives.

    Amachree and others later conducted the September 31, 2018 state primary elections, which produced Arc. Tonye Dele Cole as its flag bearer.

    However, the state High court in a judgement on October 10, on Ibrahim Umar and 23 others against APC voided the congresses that produced Amachree and all outcomes of the primary elections, including the election of Cole on the grounds of disobedience to the court order.

    Amachree appealed the judgment and the Appeal court nullified the judgment.

    Ibrahim Umar and 22 others moved to the Supreme Court, which voided the Appeal court decision and asked for a repeat.

    In the process several other suits were filed before Appeal on the same suits.

    The party, Umar and others requested for a special panel to hear the retrial and the President of the Appeal court constituted a three-man panel chaired by Justice Yahaya, which struck out the suit on Wednesday.

    Yayaha said the appeal lacked competence in its entirety hence the dismissal.

    He said the appeal against the Justice Chinwendu Nwogu High Court judgement on the party congress crisis lacks merit, adding that the application for joinder failed to observe the 14- day rules of Appeal.

    On the substantive suit, the Judge said the ruling on the substantive appeal that bordered on Justice Nwogu’s judgement that the Ojukaye faction failed to seek leave of court before appealing against the judgement.

    He ruled that the judgement delivered at the Lower Court was a consent judgement, adding the Ojukaye’s faction should have done the needful legally before approaching the court.

    He said: “This matter is between one party. What is going to happen when it is between separate parties?

    “In politics, we are brothers, same house and we are throwing stones on each other. Please let’s reconcile and settle this,” he advised.

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

  • Court voids Rivers APC’s list of candidates

    A Port Harcourt court yesterday voided the election of officers  and candidates of the Rivers State chapter of the All Progressives Congress (APC).

    But the party said it had appealed the judgment and requested a stay of execution.

    The ruling is a culmination of the crisis between Minister of Transportation Rotimi Amaechi and Senator Magnus Abe over the leadership of the party.

    Abe, ran a parallel congress which picked him as the governorship candidate. The Ameachi group, with the endorsement of the National Secretariat, picked Mr Tonye Cole as  candidate.

    Cole is recognised by the national secretariat.

    In spite of yesterday’s sack of Rivers APC Chairman Ojukaye Flag-Amachree, and the nullification of the party’s ward, local government and state congresses of May 19, 20 and 21, by Justice Chiwendu Nworgu, the Amaechi group insisted that the APC officials remained duly elected.

    Justice Nwogu said all actions taken by the APC during the pedency of the suit had been set aside because “they are illegal and unconstitutional.”

    Justice Nwogu declared that all those who purchased nomination forms for the ward congresses were entitled to contest the ward congresses of May 19,  but were unjustly excluded by the party.

    He said: “The Rule by might must be checked by the rule of law. We must restore the hope of the common man in the justice system”.

    Justice Nwogu, who based his judgment on the Amaechi versus INEC Matter of 2007, noted that having studied the submissions in the matter, he was bound to make consequential orders to ensure that justice was done in the case.

    Justice Nwogu declared that all those who purchased nomination forms for the ward congresses were entitled to contest  the ward congresses of May 19, 2018, but were unjustly excluded by the party.

    Rivers APC through its Publicity Secretary Chief Chris Finebone, at a news conference yesterdaysaid the judgment had been appealed, with stay of execution already entered.

    The APC also noted the support inside the Rivers High Court, Port Harcourt by Governor Nyesom Wike’s aides “in full collaboration with Abe.”

    Senator Abe’s loyalists: Ibrahim Umar and 22 others in the 23 local governments of Rivers, State approached the court, stating that they were excluded from participating in the congresses. This was upheld by the court.

    Justice Nworgu in the judgment that lasted over one hour, also set aside all the primaries of Rivers APC, including the indirect election that produced Cole, a billionaire businessman, as the governorship candidate.

    Adddressing his supporters yesterday at a rally, Senator Abe hailed the court’s judgment, declaring that Prince Peter Odike remained the Rivers Chairman of APC and that since he emerged through direct primary, backed by the National Executive Committee (NEC) of the party, he was the standard bearer of APC in Rivers.

    Abe said: “When he (Amaechi) came to me and said I should not run (for governorship in 2019), but I asked him what he wanted, he said he would bring Tonye Cole. Rivers people will not follow anybody that they do not know. We are fighting against a sitting governor (Nyesom Wike of Peoples Democratic Party), who has resources and he is a politician. They told the world I am a betrayer, a bad person and I am not loyal.  No, it will not work.

    “They said they would retire me from politics, if I refused. I would wear the retirement as a badge of honour, because Nigerians would know that when it was time to tell the truth, I opened my mouth and I spoke the truth. How would they retire me from the minds of my people in Rivers State? They also said they would bring money and everyone would leave me and go home. Let them bring the money, I will still stand here alone. We will not leave APC, because we built the party. We cannot leave our inheritance for anybody. The trouble will not end.

    “Over 148,000 Rivers people, across the 319 wards of the 23 local governments of Rivers State, during the direct governorship primary election of APC, came out and cast their votes for me. We are interested in the progress of this party, we are ready to work for the progress of this party, but the party must show respect to its members. We are being treated with disrespect. You do not do that in politics. People cannot sit down in Lagos and choose a governor for Rivers people.

    The Rivers chapter of APC, however, stated that it was not surprised that the Rivers High court, presided over by Justice Nworgu, set aside the May congresses.

    Amaechi’s allies in Rivers APC said: “The judgment did not come to us by surprise. It brings to an end, the collaboration between Senator Magnus Abe and Governor Nyesom Wike to destabilise the APC in Rivers State.

    “There had been many overt and covert partnerships between Wike and Abe, using the Rivers State Judiciary on the matter to scuttle the electoral fortunes of the APC in 2019. Today’s (yesterday’s) judgment is a culmination of the evil collaboration.

    “The grand rally staged today (yesterday) by Abe was carefully planned and scheduled by both the Senator and Wike to coincide with the Rivers State High Court judgment, details of which they were already privy to. It was not surprising when Abe gleefully announced the exact judgment of the court on the rally rostrum, just about when the judge was still reading his judgment in court.”

    Rivers APC also urged members and sympathisers of the party in the state and across Nigeria to remain calm.

    It noted that despite the fact that aspects of the matter were already before the Court of Appeal and the Supreme Court, the lower court in Port Harcourt still went ahead to decide on the matter being challenged at higher courts.

    It said: “Nothing will happen to the Ojukaye Flag-Amachree-led State Working Committee (SWC) of the party, as it is further protected against any action by the perpetual injunction granted by Abuja High Court 14, presided over by Justice A. O. Musa, on September 4, 2018, in which it restrained the APC and its National Chairman, Comrade Adams Oshiomhole (1st and 2nd Defendants), from tampering with the mandates of the elected officials/delegates elected at the 1st Defendant’s ward, local government and state congresses in Rivers State on May 19, 20 and 21, 2018 respectively, either by nullifying, removing or in any way refusing to give effect to the outcome of the said congresses or by purporting to conduct another congress in respect of Rivers State.

    “It is also important to emphasise that the entire 319 wards and 23 LGAs executives of the party in Rivers State are, by implication, protected against the ruling by any court of coordinate jurisdiction with the Abuja High Court that granted the Ojukaye Flag-Amachree-led Rivers State executive a perpetual injunction. We urge everyone to go about their duties without let.

    “It must be mentioned that if the entire collaboration between Abe and Wike on this matter is to nullify actions the party recently took relating to its mandate, by seeking to invalidate the Ojukaye Flag-Amachree-led executive, such an exercise has failed. For example, the primaries so far conducted in Rivers State were done by the national executives/ national leadership of the APC and not essentially by the Ojukaye Flag-Amachree-led executive in Rivers State. Seeking to invalidate the Ojukaye Flag-Amachree-led executive cannot in anyway invalidate the primaries.

    “We commend the Special Adviser to Governor Wike on Electronic Media, Simeon Nwankaudu, for his efforts at the court today (yesterday) in furtherance of the collaboration between Abe and the Rivers State government. We also commend the presiding judge for the ‘industry’ put into the process.”

    Rivers APC also urged members and supporters of the party not to lose sleep over the matter, while asking Wike, Abe and their supporters to continue to fool, delude and ridicule themselves.

     

  • Local Govt elections: Wike, Rivers APC draw battle line

    Rivers State Governor Nyesom Wike and the state’s chapter of the All Progressives Congress (APC) have drawn the battle-line on the controversial local government elections fixed for tomorrow (Saturday).

    Wike, in a statewide broadcast yesterday morning, accused APC and its leaders in Rivers state of planning to cause mayhem and disrupt the elections in Abua/Odual, Akuku-Toru, Asari-Toru, Degema, Emohua, Ikwerre, Ogba/Egbema/Ndoni, Opobo/Nkoro, and Tai.

    Rivers governor, who is a chieftain of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), also alleged that the arrowheads of the “satanic” plot were the state’s Chairman of APC, Ojukaye Flag-Amachree, a former Rivers Commissioner for Agriculture, Emma Chindah; and Nigeria’s Ambassador to The Netherlands Oji Ngofa.

    Wike accused the three leaders of the main opposition APC of recruiting and arming political thugs with guns to be deployed on the eve of the local government elections to create an atmosphere of insecurity in the mentioned councils and other LGAs of the state to scare voters to shun the polling stations.

    Rivers governor also described Flag-Amachree as a double murder suspect, who refused to submit himself to trial, while claiming that the fugitive to justice recently emerged as a factional Rivers chairman of the APC against an alleged court order.

    APC in Rivers, yesterday afternoon at a news conference in Port Harcourt, addressed by its Publicity Secretary, Chief Chris Finebone, however, declared that the state’s governor merely labelled angry PDP members threatening the sham and illegal council polls as APC members, since members of the party (APC) would not participate in the elections, in view of the cases in court, over Wike’s 2015 sack of the duly-elected LG chairmen and councillors.

    It said: “Thursday morning, Rivers people and members of the APC were subjected to a piece of broadcast, in which Wike blurted out hardly legible lines in the name of a state broadcast concerning the sham local government council elections, in which he clearly mentioned some leaders of the APC he claimed were working to disrupt the sham polls in the state.

    “It is absolutely important to quickly mention that the APC, its leaders and members across Rivers State have no stake in the sham local council elections and have no reason at all to consider or disrupt a process we have clearly distanced ourselves from and made such position known to the world.

    “In the broadcast, Wike was simply showcasing his typical self by shying away from the groundswell of protests by cheated PDP members who have told him to his face that they will disrupt the sham council polls, especially in the LGAs he enumerated in his broadcast. It is clear without doubt that by dragging the names of the APC and its leaders into the fray, Wike was merely pre-empting the disruption his disgruntled party men and women have vowed to visit on the sham elections on Saturday. Attempting to place his fears at the doorsteps of the APC is the typical pedestrian and cowardly indwelling traits of the man called Wike.

    “It is all too glaring to see that the target of Wike in the broadcast is to frame up his own members who may have agreed to vote out the candidates the Rivers governor imposed on their party against popular opinion of their members. It is noteworthy to state and Wike knows it that no APC member will get close to any polling booth. The Rivers governor harping so strongly about people voting and defending their votes is merely to frame up PDP members who have decided to vote for and defend the interest of their popular candidates against the choice Wike imposed on them.

    “The APC leaders Wike listed in his broadcast are all out of Rivers State on various national and international assignments. Flag-Amachree and Chindah have been in Abuja and Lagos respecteively. Ngofa is in faraway Netherlands where he is the Nigerian Ambassador. Wike does not know the difference between political propaganda and outright white lies unbefitting of the high office of a governor.”

  • Amaechi: Rivers APC can’t fail in 2019

    •Transportation minister, a detribalised Nigerian, says Peterside

    Minister of Transportation Rotimi Amaechi has said the All Progressives Congress (APC) cannot fail in 2019 to replace Governor Nyesom Wike.

    He described the election of youthful Rivers chairman Ojukaye Flag-Amachree as a new beginning and a step in the right direction.

    Amaechi, a former governor, spoke yesterday at St. Vincent De Paul Catholic Church, Elechi Beach, Mile 1, Diobu, Port Harcourt, at a thanksgiving to mark his 53rd birthday.

    Present at the church service were Amaechi’s wife, Dame Judith; Director-General of Nigeria Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA) Dr. Dakuku Peterside; Deputy National Secretary of APC Chief Victor Giadom; Senator Andrew Uchendu (Rivers East); Flag-Amachree; his predecessor, Chief Davies Ikanya; and oil magnate Chief Dumo Lulu-Briggs; among others.

    Speaking at the colloquium and reception for Amaechi’s birthday at Hago Heights Event Centre on Peter Odili Road, Port Harcourt, Peterside described Amaechi as a detribalised Nigerian, a great personality, and a revolutionalist.

    A member of the House of Assembly, Mrs. Victoria Nyeche, who represents Port Harcourt 1, said the minister was a man of courage and vision, who would always be celebrated.

    Another panellist, Dame Ibufuro Tatua, noted that the celebrator transformed the state as governor and is doing his best for Transportation.

    Rivers chairman of APC, in an online statement yesterday by the Publicity Secretary, Chief Chris Finebone, said Rivers APC applauded Amaechi for providing a focused leadership.

    Flag-Amachree said: “It is a thing of joy that our leader, Chibuike Rotimi Amaechi, has provided focused and purposeful leadership for our party in Rivers State. We could not have got it better.”

    He thanked God for the gift of wisdom, good health, resilience and staying power, which had seen the minister traverse the delicate political terrain of Rivers and Nigeria, despite many challenges.

    Flag-Amachree added that he and other members have no doubt that the Lord will continue to remain Amaechi’s bedrock of strength in the years ahead.

  • ‘Rivers APC won’t rig to kick Wike out in 2019’

    A chieftain of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Rivers State, Chief Eze Chukwuemeka Eze, has said members do not need to rig to kick Governor Nyesom Wike out of Government House, Port Harcourt, next year.

    He described as unfortunate and disgraceful, unacceptable and sad that Wike could use N500 million to sponsor a smear campaign against the Commander of Federal Special Anti-Robbery Squad (F-SARS), Mr. Akin Fakorede, an assistant commissioner of Police (ACP).

    Eze noted that the governor is desperate to remove Fakorede, after his failed attempts through the failed #endSARS campaign to blackmail the Rivers commander of F-SARS.

    He said members would not fold their arms and leave a professional police officer, who is desirous of a better Rivers, to be run down by a misguided governor.

    The APC chieftain said: “For Wike to budget such a whopping N500 million for a programme to run down an innocent police officer, who is doing his work diligently and satisfactorily for the people of Rivers State, at a period when Wike can neither pay the salaries of the civil servants in the state nor the pensions of our retired civil servants, is really unfortunate. Rivers governor is also unable to create jobs or engage any of the thousands of unemployed Rivers youths.

    “Wike, after sponsoring series of campaign of calumny against Fakorede, he has gone further to place advertisements on the front and inside pages of major national newspapers to sustain the blackmail against the Rivers commander of F-SARS.”

    Eze lauded the Inspector-General of Police (IGP),  Ibrahim Idris, for exonerating Fakorede of all allegations levelled against him and for authorising the officer to sue Wike and the Rivers government for the false, malicious and libellous publications against him.

    He added that the governor is well known for rigging elections and felt that everybody will do the same thing.

    The APC chieftain urged Wike to apologise to the commander of F-SARS, retract the damaging advertisements and pay the N2 billion damages.

  • Rivers APC: A divided house

    The camps of Transport Minister Rotimi Amaechi and Senator Magnus Abe (Rivers Southeast), are fighting for the soul of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Rivers State. The state congress of the party has deepened the acrimony between the two camps. Southsouth Bureau Chief Bisi Olaniyi examines the implications of the division on the party’s preparations for next year’s polls.

    The leader of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Rivers State Rotimi Amaechi, and his deputy, Dr. Dakuku Peterside, are at loggerheads with Senator Magnus Abe (Rivers Southeast) and his supporters over next year’s governorship race. The intrigues and power-play have created division in the chapter.

    Abe was the Secretary to the Rivers State Government (SSG) between 2007 and 2011, when Transportation Minister, Rotimi Amaechi, was the governor.

    In 2011, Amaechi supported Abe, an indigene of Bera-Ogoni in Gokana Local Government Area to go to the Senate, while the Ubima, Ikwerre LGA-born governor was re-elected.

    The face-off between Amaechi and Abe started in 2014, when the senator wanted to succeed the then governor on the platform of All Progressives Congress (APC). But, Amaechi preferred a riverine person as his successor, to ensure fairness, equity, justice and even development. From 1999, Rivers governors: Dr. Peter Odili, Sir Celestine Omehia and himself were from the upland part of the state.

    The former member of the House of Representatives, Dr. Dakuku Peterside, now the Director-General of the Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA), emerged as the standard bearer of the APC for the 2015 election, which did not go down well with Abe, who was prevailed upon to return to the Senate.

    Shortly after emerging victorious at the December 10, 2016 rerun, the senator started showing interest in the 2019 governorship race, which Amaechi was not comfortable with.

    Abe recently revealed that the transportation minister visited him in his house in Abuja and warned him in the presence of his wife, not to contest as governor in 2019 on APC’s platform.

    Abe recently held a thanksgiving service and reception in Port Harcourt, the state capital on emerging victorious at the December 10, 2016 rerun, with the reception at Polo Club attended by Wike and many chieftains of PDP, thereby giving the Rivers governor the opportunity to openly abuse some leaders of APC. Abe said that he had no regret inviting Wike, while the senator’s decision did not go down well with the leadership of APC.

    Abe, in his determination to realise his governorship ambition, recently opened his campaign office on Evo Road, new Government Reservation Area (GRA), Port Harcourt, tagged: “Freedom House,” while claiming that the APC governorship in 2015 was zoned to Rivers Southeast Senatorial District, the only district that has not produced governor since the creation of the state on May 27, 1967, stressing that zoning still subsists.

    The Deputy National Secretary of APC, Chief Victor Giadom, from Bera-Ogoni as Abe, however, said: “Amaechi is insisting on internal democracy in Rivers APC, but Abe is always talking of undemocratic consensus candidature, without congresses/elections.

    “Abe should produce the video or audio clip of where it was decided in 2014 or 2015 that the governorship ticket of APC was zoned to Rivers Southeast Senatorial District. There was nothing like that. I want the governorship to be given to us in the Rivers Southeast Senatorial District, but it was not zoned to us during the last general elections by APC. Rivers State is known for upland/riverine dichotomy.

    “Amaechi is the leader of APC in Rivers State and he has done everything humanly possible to put the party together, but when someone (Abe) has an uncontrolled ambition, it is difficult to have the person under the same roof.”

    Giadom, a former Rivers Commissioner for Works, also assured that there would be a level playing field for the aspirants and the primaries will be free, fair, transparent, credible and peaceful.

    On May 4, the eve of APC’s ward congress in the 319 wards across the 23 LGAs thugs invaded the state secretariat of the APC on Forces Avenue, old GRA, directly opposite the old GRA Divisional Police Headquarters, near Government House, Port Harcourt, vandalising, destroying and looting valuable property. Members of the State Working Committee (SWC) of the party and visitors to the secretariat are now operating from under canopies within the premises.

    The APC’s deputy national secretary, however, declared: “The action of the hoodlums that vandalised the Rivers State secretariat of APC in Port Harcourt was unnecessary, highly regrettable and it was the height of desperation by Abe and his supporters.

    “We are all from Rivers State and we know the thugs who were at APC secretariat on Friday (May 4). The representative of Ikwerre/Emohua constituency in the House of Representatives,  Chidi Wihioka, who was arrested at the scene of the destruction, is also a supporter of Abe.”

    On May 4, Amaechi maintained that the ward congress would hold on May 5, as planned, adding that Abe took over with thugs and vandalised the state secretariat for fear of election, thereby looking for consensus candidature, which, he said, would not happen.

    The minister said that he never hijacked electoral materials for the ward congress, as alleged by Abe and his supporters, adding that was also not aware of any court order stopping the ward congress.

    The ward congress took place peacefully Option A-4. The turnout of members of the party being so impressive, as confirmed by Chairman of Ward and Local Government Congresses Committee, Joseph Dogo, who came from the national secretariat of APC in Abuja.

    Members of the APC’s Ward and Local Government Congresses Appeals’ Committee led by Nasiru Olatunji Salawu, also arrived Port Harcourt, immediately after the ward congress, did their job and submitted their report to the national leadership.

    On May 11, many members of the APC from the 23 LGAs, as early as 7 a.m., took over the Rivers State High Court Complex on Station Road in Port Harcourt, when they got the hint that Abe’s supporters, through the backing of Governor Nyesom Wike  wanted to obtain an injunction to restrain APC from holding the May 12 local government congress, without legal representation by APC, at the court presided over by Justice Chiwendu Nwogu.

    Prior to the sitting of the court under tight security, allies of Wike mobilised many PDP members to the court and they were shouting: “PDP Power,” leading to confrontation with APC protesters and violence. Scores were injured.

    Justice Nwogu was hailed by Henry Bello, the counsel to aggrieved APC members loyal to Abe.

    APC’s lawyer Cuturu Eddeh, accused the suspended Legal Adviser of APC in Rivers, Mr. Chiwikpe Chieme, of professional misconduct, for appearing for the party without being authorised, in his desperation to cause confusion. Hearing was adjourned till June 26.

    The Publicity Secretary of APC in Rivers State, Chief Chris Finebone, said on May 12 that the party had not been served with any court order, adding that the local government congress would hold as planned, since the processes commenced a long time ago and could not be stopped by any court action.

    The Chairman of Ward and Local Government Congresses Committee, Joseph Dogo, confirmed on May 13 that the local government congress of APC in Rivers was successful. A 27-member executive in each of the 23 LGAs was elected.

    Dogo said: “”From what I have seen, Rivers APC is on a sound ground. What members of APC in Rivers State need to do is to keep this momentum going. Once it is on course, and they continue to put their eyes on the ball and not on the spectators, then they are assured that 2019 is for us to pick, because whatever we take, we deserve. We do not take what we do not deserve. What I have seen is that they (APC members) are prepared to take over this state in 2019.

    “On May 5, we did the ward congresses. On May 12, we had the local government congresses. On May 12, we (members of the committee) went out to monitor the local government congresses in nine of the 23 LGAs. We saw a consensus. We saw unity of purpose. We saw people who are together, working for the advancement of this party (APC).

    “Rivers people have made me proud. I do hope that by the time we release the pictorial of the events that took place in Rivers State, do not be surprised that people will be coming here to learn how you run this party. We are happy and we are grateful for the warm reception you have given us.

    “When I addressed the press on May 6, I thought I had seen the best, but on May 12, I was made to realise that what happened on May 5 was just a preamble. The one of May 12 was so superlative. It was a wonderful experience when we went out on May 12 to see how the local government congresses went on. I am satisfied with the results of the local government congresses in Rivers State.”

    Peterside expressed surprise about the special interest of Wike in APC’s matter.

    The NIMASA chief said: “I got report from persons that I trust their integrity, that prominent members of the PDP led the protest (on May 11 at the Rivers High Court, Port Harcourt). They were captured on camera. Samuel Nwanosike and Roland Sekibo (Wike’s allies) were physically seen at the court, directing the protest.

    “Wike’s Chief Security Officer (CSO) called Promise, a police officer, was physically directing the PDP protesters at the court. Wike, a harbinger of violence, is a painful reminder of how far we (Rivers people) still have to go.”

    Peterside said members APC were peace-loving and law-abiding.

    He said: “APC is a party that was founded on the basis of justice, equity, peace and unity. The key word is justice. Protest is a fundamental part of democracy. It is allowed in every liberal democracy, provided it is orderly and you do not disrupt other people’s programmes.

    “I do not see how we (APC leaders) owe anybody any apology over the protest (at the Rivers State High Court Complex in Port Harcourt). The people have the right to protest. I am a man of integrity. On my honour, I am not aware that any property was vandalised or damaged at the court premises.

    “There is no faction in Rivers APC. Every member of APC in Rivers State subscribes to the leadership of Chibuike Rotimi Amaechi, including Abe, my very good friend and brother.

    “The suspended Legal Adviser (of APC in Rivers State, Mr. Chiwikpe Chieme) has no authority or power to represent the APC in Rivers State. He has no letter issued by the Rivers Chairman of the party (Chief Davies Ikanya), the State Working Committee (SWC), the National Chairman, Chief John Odigie-Oyegun, or the National Working Committee (NWC) of the party. If you take an action on an issue that you have no authority, it is a nullity.

    “APC, Rivers State best represents progressiveness, development, growth, inclusiveness, welfare of Rivers people and it serves as a platform that gives voice to everybody, unlike what Wike and his government represent. APC best represents the aggregate aspiration of Rivers people.”

    Peterside also maintained that nobody told Abe not to contest the governorship election in 2019, adding that  nobody could force anybody to support the senator’s governorship bid.

    Abe, in a statement by his spokesperson, Parry Benson, said that justice must prevail, adding that Rivers people would not fold their arms and allow anarchy to envelop the state.

    The senator lauded the judiciary for the courage to stand boldly as the last hope of the common man and granting the request of some members of APC to seek a peaceful resolution to the crisis that rocked the party after the ward congress, where he said members who paid for forms were wilfully excluded.

    Abe stressed that it was amendable that party leaders could descend so low by attempting to obstruct the functions of the judiciary and disrupt the court in the face of violent intimidation.

    The senator said: “We commend some members of the party (APC) who approached the courts, in order to seek a peaceful resolution to the crisis that rocked the party after the ward congresses and for insisting that justice must prevail for those who were disenfranchised.

    “They have done well, because the absence of law is the presence of anarchy. As Rivers people, we cannot fold our arms and allow anarchy to envelop the state.”

    May 18, the National Chairman of APC, Chief John Odigie-Oyegun, and the National Secretary, Mai Bala Bunu, issued a statement cancelling the May 5 ward congress and the May 12 local government congress, while the May 19 state congress was shifted to May 21.

    Odigie-Oyegun and Bunu also revealed that fresh ward and local government congresses would hold on May 19 and 20 respectively, in view of complaints and petitions from the supporters of Abe.

    They noted that the decisions were taken after due consultation with major stakeholders and in view of the fact that the national convention of the party is now scheduled to hold on June 2, 2018, it will give all state chapters, including Rivers, the opportunity to participate.

    In another statement, Odigie-Oyegun and Bunu declared that the national leadership of APC was yet to be served the court order obtained by Abe’s supporters at the Rivers High Court in Port Harcourt and that the suspended Legal Adviser of the party (APC) in Rivers, Mr. Chiwikpe Chieme, was not authorised to represent the party at the court.

    Abe and his supporters, however, boycotted the rescheduled ward, local government and state congresses.

    The allies of the senator insisted that the May 11 order of Rivers High Court in Port Harcourt, presided over by Justice Chiwendu Nwogu, must be obeyed.

    The fresh ward congress was, however, conducted in the 319 wards on May 19, leading to the election of 27 officers of the party in each ward. The rescheduled local government congress also took place without any hitch in the 23 LGAs with 27-member executive elected in each LGA, as confirmed by Dogo, who monitored the congresses, along with members of the committee and some leaders of the party.

    The state congress also took place on May 21 in Port Harcourt, leading to the election of Ojukaye Flag-Amachree-led executive.

    Abe’s supporters, led by former Rivers Attorney-General and Commissioner for Justice, Worgu Boms, claimed that conducting fresh congresses was subjudice and that Abe’s allies would not participate in the illegality and jamboree.

    Boms said that APC had no right to conduct fresh congresses in Rivers state, when the court order had not been vacated.

    But, Peterside said: “Amaechi is the leader of all. Everybody subscribes to his leadership. He has no such powers to hijack the APC. He is one member of the APC. If he has the support of the majority, you will say he has the support of the majority, including myself.

    “Abe cannot be the reason (for the crisis in Rivers APC). He is entitled to aspire to any office in the land, including the presidency. No man can stop him from aspiring for any office he chooses to contest. What he cannot guarantee is the support of individuals, because it is their choice.

    “I am sure there will be others who will make their intentions known.  The party will set the guidelines for the primaries and if he (Abe) wins, everybody will rally round him. We ordinarily expect him to also support whoever emerges from the party.”

    The rescheduled state congress place on May 21 from 7 a.m. at Elekahia Town Hall in Port Harcourt, the state capital, and was rounded off around 8:15 a.m., but was boycotted by a governorship aspirant of the party (Abe) and his supporters.

    Since they knew that officers would be elected through consensus and affirmation through voice vote. Supporters of Abe, planned to obtain another injunction at the Rivers High Court, Port Harcourt to stop the state congress, as they did on May 11 to stop the cancelled May 12 local government congress.

    A two-term Chairman of Asari-Toru Local Government Council of Rivers state, Ojukaye Flag-Amachree, was unanimously elected as the Chairman of APC in Rivers. He succeeded Chief Davies Ikanya.

    The Rivers Secretary of the party, Chief Emeka Beke, and Publicity Secretary, Chief Chris Finebone, were returned unopposed.

    Amaechi, who was in Port Harcourt on May 21, decided not to show up at the venue of the state congress. Prince Tonye Princewill, and many stalwarts of APC were in attendance at the state congress.

    The Chairman of the State Congress Committee in Rivers, James Majit,  lauded the members of the party for their peaceful conduct during the congress, urging the new executive to work much harder to reposition the main opposition party and ensure unity.

    Majit said: “I am happy for your (Rivers APC members’) peaceful conduct. The congress, from the accreditation to the election, was in accordance with the laid down rules and guidelines of the party. I encourage you not to relent in the task of taking the party to the next level, especially in producing an APC governor in Rivers State in 2019.”

    Wike, had declared war on Flag-Amachree, an ally of Amaechi, who was dragged to Rivers high court in Port Harcourt, over his alleged murder of a member of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Asari-Toru LGA, during the 2015 general elections. He was remanded in prison for weeks, before he was later granted bail on health grounds, having been brought to court in a stretcher.

    In his acceptance speech, the newly-elected chairman who is a former President of Buguma Youth Council, promised to work for the unity and victory of the party in 2019.

    Flag-Amachree said: “I will want to thank God Almighty for this opportunity and for today (yesterday). I will also want to thank the leader of our great party in the state and in the Southsouth zone, the Hon. Minister of Transportation, Rt. Hon. Chibuike Amaechi, for this wonderful opportunity.

    “I also thank the immediate past Chairman of this party, Chief Davies Ikanya, for a wonderful job he did. He has made my job easy.

    “With my emergence (as Rivers Chairman of APC), we will do everything within our powers in making sure that in 2019, we will take over the Brick House (Government House, Port Harcourt).”

    Flag-Amachree said he would work with all the members of APC in Rivers.

    He said: “We are all party members. All the members of the former executive did well. In the next few days, I am going to meet with members of my executive and the newly-elected chairmen (of wards and local governments) of the party. I will also meet with my predecessor (Ikanya). Members of his executive did their best. At some point, we need to take over from them. They will support us and we will also give them the necessary opportunities to vie for other positions they want to vie for in the party.

    “I was President of Buguma Youth Council. I was also elected twice as Chairman of Asari-Toru Local Government Council and I did well. The reason for my election as the Chairman of APC in Rivers State is to give the youths the opportunity to aspire and occupy elective positions. Rivers APC will continue with that. I am going to continue with that. At the end of the day, we will have more youths occupying elective positions in Rivers State and also flying our party’s flag.”

    Peterside expressed satisfaction with the massive turnout of delegates and leaders of APC from the 23 LGAs.

    He said: “We are all witnesses to the peaceful, orderly and credible party congress at the state level. There had been insinuations in the media about a divided APC in Rivers State. That has been laid to rest today (on May 21). Members of APC in Rivers State spoke with one voice. We were unanimous on the direction we want to go. First, we have a united party. We have a brand new state executive committee.

    “We are determined to uproot the government in Rivers State today, led by Wike (in 2019), because he has failed Rivers people. He has robbed Rivers people of their dignity. He has disappointed Rivers people. He has dashed our hopes. He has robbed us silly, in every sense of the word.

    “We have got so much resources and there is absolutely nothing to show for the funds. Rather, what we have to deal with is series of death, either occasioned by soot or by insecurity, through criminals unleashed on us as a people. We do not deserve these. Rivers people deserve better.

    “APC has commenced the march to Government House, Port Harcourt, by the election of a new executive committee. We thank our party members. We thank Rivers people for standing with us.”

  • Rivers APC ward, LG congresses cancelled

    THE face-off between Transportation Minister, Rotimi Amaechi, and Senator Magnus Abe (Rivers Southeast) has led to the postponement of today’s state congress of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Rivers State. The ward congress of May 5 and local government congress of May 12 were also cancelled, with fresh ward, local government congresses fixed for today (Saturday) and Sunday by the national leadership of the ruling party. The National Chairman of the APC, Chief John Odigie- Oyegun, and the National Secretary of the party, Mai Bala Bunu, yesterday evening, signed a statement, titled: “Re: Rivers State APC 2018 Ward, Local Government and State Congresses.”

    The statement reads: “The party (APC), after due consultation with major stakeholders and in view of the fact that national convention of the party is now scheduled to hold on 2nd of June, 2018, and in order to give all state chapters (including Rivers State) the opportunity to participate and to allow for peace, has resolved to and hereby cancel the ward and local government congresses conducted on 5th and 12th of May respectively. “Consequently and after considering the logistics involved, the party hereby directs as follows: The new Rivers State ward congress (in 319 wards) is hereby fixed for Saturday, 19th day of May, 2018 (today) – 10 a.m.-1 p.m. The local government congress in Rivers State is fixed for Sunday, 20th day of May, 2018 – 2 p.m.-5 p.m. The state congress in Rivers State is hereby fixed for Monday, 21st day of May, 2018.

    “For those who have paid, but were unable to collect forms for the ward congress, they should immediately proceed to the state secretary or the state administrative secretary of the party to collect the required form, fill and submit same. “For those who may wish to participate or contest in the local government and state congresses, the need to make payment into bank is hereby waived. Instead, cash payment may be made to the Rivers State Secretary of our party or State Administrative Secretary of the party and receipt collected.

    “After the filling of the form, same should be submitted. All party members are urged to remain steadfast in the face of the current travails of the party in the state and be assured that the party shall overcome the travails.” In order to accommodate complaints and petitions arising from the rescheduled ward, local government and state congresses, the national leadership of APC also put in place appeal panels. The statement also stated: “The appeal panels each have been constituted forward, local government and state congresses at the venue of state secretariat and further give the following directives: Saturday, May 19, 2018 (today) – 3 p.m. – 8:30 p.m. – Filing of appeal arising from the ward congresses (if any). Sunday, May 20, 2018 – 8 a.m. – 12 noon – Disposal of appeal arising from the ward congress. “Sunday, May 20, 2018 – 6:30 p.m. – 10 p.m. – Filing of appeal arising from local government congresses. Monday, May 21, 2018 – 8 a.m. – 10 a.m. – Disposal of appeal arising from local government congresses. Monday, May 21, 2018 – 6 p.m. – 10 p.m. – Filing of appeal arising from state congress on or before 6 p.m. on Tuesday, May 22, 2018,

  • Rivers APC: Abe seeks Buhari’s help

    Embattled All Progressives Congress (APC) chieftain Senator Magnus Abe yesterday appealed to President Muhammadu Buhari to call warring members in Rivers State to order.

    Abe told a news conference in Abuja they were forced to go to court when it became clear “all internal conflict resolution processes within the party had been compromised at the altar of individual power.”

    The Rivers South East senator noted that following the alleged compromise of APC’s internal conflict resolution, aggrieved members were advised to seek redress in court.

    He said the President should intervene to save the party from “men without conscience.”

    The APC, he added, must distance itself from “the show of shame currently going on in Rivers State.”

    On accusation that he was working with Governor Nyesom Wike to destabilise APC in the state, Abe noted that his dealings with the governor is open and in the interest of APC to douse tension and minimise violence.

    Abe’s briefing, titled: “The APC must distance itself from the show of shame going on in Rivers State,”said: “I have decided to address you this afternoon because it has become clear that my party, the All Progressives Congress, has reached a point where it must take a decision either to live up to the values of our leader, President Muhammadu Buhari, and do the right thing or abandon our values and destroy our soul in order to please man.

    “You will recollect that I briefed the press before the ward congresses in Rivers State where I stated publicly, that the confusion deliberately being set in Rivers State was nothing other than an attempt to display the raw power of man, to destroy and exclude all those who have expressed disagreement with the leader of the party in the state.

    “The Southsouth caucus of the party had met at the home of the Minister of Transportation, (Chibuike Amaechi,) in Abuja and directed that certain steps be taken by leaders in the states to build confidence in the process before the congresses should begin.

    “First it was agreed that an all-inclusive meeting be called between Thursday  and Friday preceding the ward congresses.

    “The meeting was to include all tendencies in the party and the modalities for congresses be discussed and agreed upon. It was also directed that the congress committee from Abuja should meet with stakeholders on arrival and be briefed on arrangements and agreements already reached in the state.

    “None of this was done in Rivers State, rather a faction of the party, led by the minister, proceeded with the exercise in disdain of rights and privileges of other members. Party members, who paid money to the party, were disenfranchised. All protests and appeals fell on deaf ears.

    ‘’After the purported failed exercise, another Southsouth caucus meeting was called, this time at the home of minister of state for Petroleum and it was agreed the rules were not followed in Rivers State and the exercise in Rivers State was not acceptable.”

  • Rivers APC stalwart dies 24 hours after tree fell on car

    A stalwart of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Rivers State, Ferdinand Ovundah, died yesterday, 24 hours after a big tree fell on a car he was travelling in, critically injuring him.

    The Toyota Hilux van belonged to the Rivers State Secretary of the APC, Chief Emeka Beke. Ovundah,Beke and three other persons were all in the vehicle when the tree unexpectedly crashed during a downpour.

    Ovundah, who hailed from Ogbakiri in Emohua Local Government Area of Rivers state, had spinal cord injury from the accident and passed on yesterday in a private hospital in Port Harcourt.

    Rivers Publicity Secretary of APC, Chief Chris Finebone, confirmed the death of Ovundah, last night describing it as pathetic and unfortunate. Beke and other occupants of the vehicle were on their way to the party’s secretariat on Forces Avenue, old Government Reservation Area (GRA), Port Harcourt, when the accident occurred.

    Beke who sat beside the driver in the vehicle was injured as were others. They were all first rushed to the nearby Rivers State government-owned Braithwaite Memorial Specialist Hospital (BMSH) in the Port Harcourt and later to different private hospitals in the city.

    Beke was yesterday afternoon at the Rivers secretariat of APC with a swollen face. He expressed sadness over the death of Ovundah.

  • Rivers APC warns Wike ahead of Buhari’s visit

    Rivers APC warns Wike ahead of Buhari’s visit

    THE Rivers State Chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Chief Davies Ikanya, has insisted that Governor Nyesom Wike must be called to order to stop overheating the polity, ahead of President Muhammadu Buhari’s proposed visit to Rivers. Ikanya, yesterday in Port Harcourt, through his Senior Special Assistant (SSA) on Media/Public Affairs Consultant, Chief Eze Chukwuemeka Eze, declared that he was not so sure of the soundness of Wike’s mind, especially for his (Rivers governor’s) uncouth words on President Buhari, the Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.

    Wike, a chieftain of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP), on Thursday in Port Harcourt, while kicking off the reconstruction of Egbelu Street and construction of link roads in East-West in Rumuodara, Obio/Akpor Local Government Area of Rivers, stated that the Federal Government had not informed him of President Buhari’s visit and the reason behind the planned visit. He alleged that the proposed visit might be aimed at reviving the fortunes of the APC that he claimed to be dead in the state.

    The governor urged people of the state not to be bothered about the politics or otherwise of President Buhari’s visit to the state, claiming that the state is very peaceful. Wike said: “Maybe the President is coming to make sure that he will improve the fortunes of the APC that is dead in Rivers State. Apart from Jesus Christ, we do not know of anyone who has risen a dead thing. APC is a dead party in Rivers State. No matter how you fast and pray, it will never wake up. “Let nobody bother him or herself that the President is coming for security reasons. We do not have security challenges in Rivers State. We have never had herdsmen killings or crisis in the state, except when some criminals tried to disrupt the peace and they were checked. We resolved that challenge.

    “Since the administration has abandoned Rivers State for three years, this visit may be a blessing in disguise. The President may use the visit to complete the Port Harcourt International Airport, the neglected East-West Road, the neglected sea ports and the rejected Port Harcourt-Aba Road.” Rivers APC chairman, however, stated that Wike attempted to incite the people of the state against President Buhari by insinuating that the Federal Government decided to abandon Rivers state since he assumed office in almost three years. Ikanya said: “Wike’s remarks are provoking, uncouth, inciting, unacceptable and should be withdrawn, as a matter of urgency, as members of APC in Rivers State will not for any reason risk the life of our dear President in the hands of Wike and his misguided cohorts. “Let Wike be warned that the proposed visit of President Buhari will not be like the visit of some Northern governors that visited Port Harcourt in 2014 to sympathise with their colleague, the then Governor of Rivers State, Rt. Hon. Chibuike Rotimi Amaechi (now Transportation Minister), over the wicked humiliation he suffered in the hands of Wike and his collaborators, but the visiting governors were attacked and their vehicles damaged at the Port Harcourt International Airport by Wike’s thugs “It is difficult to forget how Wike as Minister of State for Education and the then PDP’s governorship aspirant, ordered his militia group, the Grassroots Development Initiative (GDI), to attack the visiting governors in 2014.

    In case Wike is planning similar attack on President Buhari, he will be disappointed this time. “Everybody knows Wike’s type of politics of violence, but no harm should be visited on President Buhari or any member of his delegation during the visit to commiserate with the people of Omoku and other parts of Ogba/Egbema/Ndoni Local Government Area (ONELGA) of Rivers State, for the sad and unfortunate killing of their loved ones during the New Year’s Day massacre of 23 innocent worshippers, after the crossover service, by associates of Wike. “Wike’s claim that APC is dead in Rivers State is laughable, because a party with two Senators (Senator Magnus Abe and Senator Andrew Uchendu), compared with Wike’s dying PDP’s one sleeping Senator cannot be said to be a dead party in Rivers State.

    Wike is the chief campaign officer of APC for the 2019 general elections, based on his wicked policies against the youths, students, civil servants, pensioners and foreign investors. Although, Rivers people are sad over Wike’s lack of good policies to improve the lot of our people, but he (Wike) will unfailingly be voted out in 2019, thereby allowing the enthronement of a government that will be ready to work for the people of Rivers State. “If Rivers State is peaceful, as claimed by Wike, why is he budgeting a whopping sum of N22 billion to establish a private army unit, named Neighbourhood Watch, or is he saying that he intends to divert the fund to his private businesses? Wike should educate us on what his actual motive is, if we do not have any security challenges in Rivers State.”

    Rivers APC chairman also maintained that President Buhari’s visit to Rivers would not be for the Commander- in-Chief to inaugurate Wike’s motor parks and markets, his major projects since he assumed office. He insisted that President Buhari had not and would not abandon Rivers state, considering the risks that APC members and other lovers of democracy took to get him elected, at the risk of their lives, in the hands of Wike, his collaborators and thugs. Ikanya said: “President Buhari has visited Rivers State on four remarkable occasions, through the Vice President, Prof. Yemi Osibanjo, SAN, to establish a peace pact in the Niger Delta region, inaugurate or kick off key projects. For Rivers governor, because of politics, to turn around to accuse President Buhari of abandoning Rivers State is unacceptable, wicked, evil, divisive and exhibition of ingratitude to a man who has done so much to develop Rivers State and the Niger Delta region.

    “Prof Osinbajo, with the express approval of President Buhari, visited Rivers State to kick-start the Ogoni clean-up, abandoned by the PDP government of the then President Goodluck Jonathan, with the connivance of Wike. The Vice President also visited Rivers State to kick-start the construction of the strategic Bonny-Bodo Road. Prof. Os- Inbajo was also in Rivers State on another occasion to inaugurate the world-class fertilizer plant, built by Indorama Eleme Fertilizer and Chemicals Limited in Port Harcourt, among other visits by the Presidency. “Wike forgot so soon that Dr. Jonathan, a son of the Niger Delta region, in his six years as the President of Nigeria, acknowledged that he failed Rivers State and the Niger Delta by not embarking on any meaningful project in the region, apart from imposing Wike as the governor of Rivers to promote insecurity in the state and other parts of the Niger Delta region.

    “The APC-led administration of President Buhari has proved within less than three years that the party has the best interest of Rivers State and Niger Delta region at heart, by the various interventions the Federal Government has embarked upon in the region within the last three years.” Rivers APC chairman also stated that Rivers state would benefit from the Calabar– Lagos Rail Line, the renovation/reconstruction of both Enugu–Port Harcourt and the West-East Roads, the renovation of the Afam power plant in Rivers State, resumption of work on the Port Harcourt International Airport, renovation and reconstruction of the Enugu-Port Harcourt Rail Line, among other projects that were abandoned by the previous PDP’s governments. Ikanya lauded President Buhari on the proposed visit to Rivers at this time, based on his love and commitment towards the development of the state.