A chieftain of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in the Southsouth zone, Chief Eze Chukwuemeka Eze, has urged the Minister for Transportation, Rotimi Amaechi, to forgive the representative of Rivers Southeast Senatorial District in the 7th and 8th Senate, Magnus Abe.
He also lauded the National Working Committee (NWC) of APC, led by a former Governor of Edo State, Comrade Adam’s Oshiomhole, for setting plans in motion for the conduct of fresh ward, local government and state congresses of the party in Rivers, between September 17 and 28 this year.
Eze, Friday in Port Harcourt, hailed the members of NWC of APC for putting in place the Isaac Ogbobula-led five-man caretaker committee of the party in Rivers state, in order to move to the next level.
He noted that conducting the ward, local government and ward congresses of APC in Rivers would ensure the setting up of the party’s structures, for the task of not only reclaiming the state, but positioning APC to play the active and positive roles expected in Nigeria’s politics.
In spite of the rejection of the caretaker committee and vowing not to participate in the congresses by Abe, a former Secretary to the Rivers State Government (SSG), when Amaechi was governor, along with his supporters, Eze insisted that there was no faction in Rivers APC, but a party under the single leadership of transportation minister.
The APC chieftain admonished senator Abe and his supporters to come to terms with the reality on the ground and prepare for the conduct of the ward, local government and state congresses, if they are still members of the party.
On Wednesday, the factional Chairman of APC in Rivers, Chief Peter Odike, abandoned Abe and he returned to Amaechi’s mainstream of the party, but the senator accused him of inducement.
Eze said: “Having caretaker committee in Rivers APC and planning to conduct congresses are historic steps in the right direction. The decisions of NWC of APC will not only lay to rest the division in the party, but will make Rivers APC to become a more formidable and purposeful vehicle for the rescue of the state.
“With the appointment of a seasoned legal practitioner, Barr. Isaac Abbot Ogbobula, the immediate past Chairman of the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA), Ahoada Branch in Rivers State, with over 20 years’ experience as a practicing lawyer, to chair the caretaker committee, simply demonstrates that the battle is set to reposition the party for a greater role in the politics of Nigeria and most importantly to forestall any member or outsider that will want to play any spoiler politics or become an obstacle for the great move.
“The continued adamant stance of Abe is to keep Rivers APC in perpetual weakness, to the advantage of his sponsors. The stance could only be taken by a fellow who is desperate to destroy APC in Rivers State.”
The APC chieftain described as enemies of the party, some persons who requested that the offices of the party in the state be shared.