… Says Abe’s failure to clinch party’s guber ticket in 2014, genesis of party crisis… Confirms Aguma is a PDP tool to sustain ‘Ikwerre agenda’
Chief Eze Chukwurmeka Eze, a passionate member and critical follower of events within the All Progressives Congress in Rivers State and Nigeria in general, in his expression and demonstration of love and desire for a virile, vibrant, focused and united Rivers Chapter of the APC took time in a 20 paged memoranda, to expose the problems tossing the party around as well as their unrepentant perpetrators, in compliance with the suggestion of the APC National Reconciliation Committee headed by an astute administrator and elder statesman, Chief Bisi Akande, and supported by concerned and committed progressives, that aggrieved members of the party should state their grievances and suggests ways for the resolution of such grievances.
Let me at this juncture congratulate and commend members of this historical Committee on your appointment at this period to reconcile some of the aggrieved members of our great party.
It becomes imperative also to commend President Mohammadu Buhari, and the leadership of the APC over this inspired moves to reconcile warring factions within the chapters of the party that are having divisive and internal conflicts.
To achieve this particularly in Rivers State, I wish to suggest to the national leadership of the Party to take a closer look at the Rivers APC crisis because its own case is different and unique.
Chief Eze, an erstwhile National Publicity Secretary of the defunct New Peoples Democratic Party, (nPDP), in his well drafted memorandum, traced the crisis that engulfed the party in Rivers State to 2014, when Senator Magnus Abe couldn’t clinch the party’s gubernatorial ticket and resolved to side a group of party stakeholders to sabotage the fortunes of the party during the 2015 general elections.
The party chieftain said, Abe and his coconspirators continued with their denigration of the party beyond 2015, when the group embarked on an obvious destructive mission with the determination that the party would not field any candidate during the 2019 general elections, and this was the result.
Not relenting in their satanic and anti people assignment, the group has once again, vowed that the party will not exist to participate in the 2023 general elections in Rivers State, reason being why they have defiled all hands on solution to the problems of the party in Rivers State, and has continued to push passionately for the extinction of the party to pave way for the opposition in state as they have done in previous elections.
As a recompense for the success of their unholy venture and treacherous alliance with the People’s Democratic Party in Rivers State, some of them have been appointed into the Rivers State Executive Council under a PDP Government, others have formally joined PDP in droves and others have contested elective elections under PDP and won while others are in confidence, waiting for their own reward for a job well done.
Eze maintained that the Akande led Reconciliation Committee may face some hurdles trying to reconcile the party with such group of persons who have done much harm, not only to the party but also the electorates who were disenfranchised, as well as key members whose desires to represent the people at the parliament and in other positions in the government were abruptly terminated.
Accordingly, Eze described the latest effort by one Igo Aguma, who is continuing in the footsteps of Abe as unwholesome and another grand plot to keep the party debased, haven volunteered himself as a willing tool in hands of the Rivers State government and the People’s Democratic Party to weaken the APC, a party he claims to be a member, so that it will not offer any strong resistance to Rt. Hon. Austin Opara, the mooted candidate to clinch the PDP ticket for the 2023 general elections.
Eze highlighted that if such plot succeeds, it will entail the Ikwerre ethnic Nationality governing Rivers State for 24 years to the determinant of other tribes in the state.
“Should APC play along in this devious plot by Governor Nyesom Wike, I am not sure the other tribes in Rivers State will ever forgive the leadership of the APC for such a blunder”.
Continuing, Chief Eze said, “the party must do everything to ensure that Aguma is stopped in his evil conspiracy and plot with the opposition to scuttle the chances of the APC fielding candidates in the next election”.
I must reiterate that Dr. Akande-led Reconciliation Committee should note that the case of Rivers State chapter of the party is a bit unique and different from that of other chapters and therefore, cannot be handled in a manner depicting a mere feud, owing to the fact that some extremes and agents of other political parties and external forces are interested and hell-bent on destabilizing and weakening the party structure in the State in order to pave way for the operation of a one party system in the State.
Eze who was able to meet the deadline of 10th March, 2020 for the submission of the 12 copies of the memoranda to the Committee further highlighted that copies of his historical memorandum were also sent to President Muhammadu Buhari, the Senate President, Ahmed Lawan; the Chief of Staff, Abba Kyari; Secretary to Government of the Federation, Boss Mustpaha, and other leaders of the party and that they all have acknowledged receipt.
Eze maintained that with the memo, the Committee now has full details of the genesis of the crisis of APC in Rivers State and will better be guided on how to go about the business of resolving the crisis and enthroning peace for the good of party faithful and Rivers people in general.
For avoidance of doubt, both the memo and the acknowledged copy of the memo by the Presidency, National Leadership of APC and others are attached for public perusal.
Signed
Chief Eze Chukwuemeka Eze
APC Chieftain, Rivers State
Former National Publicity Secretary, nPDP
18– 03 – 20
READ FULL DETAILS OF THE MEMORANDA:
MEMORANDA FROM CHIEF EZE CHUKWUEMEKA EZE FOR THE ATTENTION OF THE APC NATIONAL RECONCILLATION COMMITEE AS A STAKEHOLDER AND CONCERNED MEMBER OF RIVERS STATE APC
The Chairman,
The APC National Reconciliation Committee,
Committee’s Secretariat,
No. 24 Panama Street,
Maitama, Abuja.
C/o, Senator John Owan Enoh,
Secretary, APC National Reconciliation Committee.
Dear Sir,
RE: REQUEST FOR MEMORANDA FROM AGGRIEVED MEMBERS OF APC. (MEMORANDUM SUBMITTED BY CHIEF EZE CHUKWUEMEKA EZE, A STAKEHOLDER AND CONCERNED MEMBER OF RIVERS STATE APC)
INTRODUCTION:
My name is Chief Eze Chukwuemeka Eze, a foundation, stakeholder, and committed member of the All Progressives Congress, Rivers State Chapter.
For avoidance of doubt, it is on record that I was among the pioneer and major forces to the setting up of the All Progressives Congress (APC), at the National level, as a frontline member and Spokesperson of the defunct New Peoples Democratic Party (nPDP), one of the major blocks that actualised the formation of the APC at the National Level. At the State level, I was appointed the Spokesperson of the foundation State Chairman, Dr. Davies Ikanya Ibiamu.
It is also not in doubt, the risk I took as the Spokesperson of the defunct nPDP, speaking for the Seven Governors of this group who were being haunted by the then PDP Government including hundreds of National Assembly members and thousands of members of this great and historical group to confront the previous PDP Administration under the watch of Dr. Goodluck Jonathan.
BUT DO ALL THE FEATS ABOVE QUALIFY OR POSITION ME TO DO A MEMO ON THE CRISIS THAT HAVE BEDEVILED THE RIVERS APC?
Let Dr Dakuku Adolphus Peterside, one of the most educated politicians in Rivers State, one-time member of the Federal House of Representatives; the All Progressives Congress (APC) Rivers State Governorship Candidate in 2015 general elections and the erstwhile Director-General (DG) of NIMASA and first Nigerian to head the African Maritime Industry, answer this question. After reading one of my articles he exclaimed, “Always VINTAGE EZE like no other. I challenge anybody in the land today. No journalist has as much information on anybody like Chief EZE C EZE. Chief EZE is without doubt a repository of knowledge”.
It is based on this assumption and public trust reposed on me by the people of this region to passionately and creditably discuss any issue pertaining to the politics of Rivers State and Niger Delta region at large that I am being saddled with the responsibility of presenting this memorandum which is credenda on the crisis that has bedeviled the Rivers State chapter of the APC to this historical Committee.
PREAMBLE
To the chagrin and displeasure of key watchers of the evolution and development of democracy in Nigeria, particularly the creation of the All Progressives Congress, as one of the few political parties in the world to have succeeded to unseat a very strong and powerful political party (PDP) that was in power, and especially, that one man from Rivers State, Rt. Hon. Chibuike Rotimi Amaechi, has the singular honour of leading the party and her presidential candidate, General Muhammad Buhari, to victory on two occasions; that the party, owing to the influences of internal and external forces was denied participation in the 2019 general elections after failing to form the Government in Rivers State in 2015.
The sacrifices and inputs made by Rt. Hon. Amaechi, with others from Rivers State to the success and standing of APC in the politics of Nigeria need not be overemphasized.
Most members of the Rivers APC suffered varying degree of risks; hundreds of our people were slaughtered and rendered homeless in Rivers State, all in the drive to ensure the setting up and success of the All Progressives Congress, at the national level.
It is only ironical and disheartening that some members of the APC, not minding all the risks, sacrifices and challenges to ensure the election and sustainability of the party in Nigeria, connived with some external forces to see to the extinction of the Rivers State Chapter of the APC.
THE MAIN AIM OF THIS MEMO
Having adequately introduced myself and the unfortunate status of Rivers APC, it is appropriate I divulge into the main of this memo which is in compliance with your request that memoranda from aggrieved APC members from any of the 36 states of the federation and from the FCT should be submitted to your committee for study and possible adoption of the suggestions on the causes of the crisis and solutions on the way forward.
According to your notice, “aggrieved party members should state the particulars of the grievance or complaint, the states concerned and remedy being sought”.
Based on this directive, I intend to present and expose the genesis of the crisis that bedeviled the party in Rivers State, the Actors behind the crisis, their possible aims and objectives in igniting the crisis and possible solutions to the self-inflicted crisis
COMMENDATION
Let me at this juncture congratulate and commend members of this historical Committee on your appointment at this period to reconcile some of the aggrieved members of our great party.
It becomes imperative also to commend President Mohammadu Buhari, and the leadership of the APC over this inspired moves to reconcile warring factions within the chapters of the party that are having divisive and internal conflicts.
To achieve this particularly in Rivers State, I wish to suggest to the national leadership of the Party to take a closer look at the Rivers APC crisis because its own case is different and unique.
THE UNIQUENESS OF THE RIVERS STATE APC CRISIS AND CHALLENGES OF THE APC NRC.
I must reiterate that Dr. Akande-led Reconciliation Committee should note that the case of Rivers State chapter of the party is a bit unique and different from that of other chapters and therefore, cannot be handled in a manner depicting a mere feud, owing to the fact that some extremes and agents of other political parties and external forces are interested and hell-bent on destabilizing and weakening the party structure in the State in order to pave way for the operation of a one party system in the State.
THE CRISIS, HOW THE WORLD PERCEIVES THE RIVERS APC CRISIS AND THE CONSEQUENCES OF THE ACTIONS OF SOME PARTY CHIEFTAINS:
The worldview of the crisis will reveal two or three factions within the Rivers APC – Amaechi, Abe and to some extent, Aguma’s 3rd Force. To every member who knows the rudiments of the feud, this assertion is factual, but the truth is that prior to the 2019 elections, Senator Magnus Abe, insisted that if the party’s gubernatorial ticket is not given to him, then the party will not exist in the State.
To achieve this, he hurriedly set up machineries to frustrate the party, and as a result, succeeded in installing the failed PDP Government which has left Rivers people in squalor and pauper.
Accordingly, Abe’s protracted divisive schemes within the Rivers APC took a disturbing and calamitous trend when the party and its candidates were disallowed to participate in the 2019 electoral contest, thereby paving way for the People’s Democratic Party to clinch victory at the polls at the detriment of Rivers electorates. This he was able to achieve in connivance with Gov. Nyesom Wike, who made him lots of promises, which includes inter alia; giving him some commissioner slots. By this, regard, Senator Abe made good his threat to punish the Rivers APC for not giving him the ticket, and thus I wonder what any reconciliation would fetch Senator Abe, when he is already reaping his reward for doing a good job for Governor Wike, PDP and his external forces and collaborators.
Months after the general elections, one would have thought that Abe and his group would allow peace to prevail to enable the party put its structure in order and allow things to take shape internally for sober reflection, stock-taking and proper planning for future engagements, but it is worrisome to learn that events have proved Senator Abe unready and unyielding to calls for calm and peace in the party.
The national leadership must understand that such a person would not want reconciliation at this moment so that he can continue hiding under the party crisis to work out things in his real party.
AGUMA AND HIS GAME PLAN:
The none-existing Aguma’s third Force whose mission is to continue the decimation of the party from where Abe stopped shockingly came up immediately Abe’s case and attempt to frustrate the party from organising her Congresses duly approved by the National Working Committee of the party met its waterloo. Aguma went further to abuse and insult the National Chairman of the party, Adams Oshiomhole, including the Leader of the party in the State, Dr. Chibuike Rotimi Amaechi.
The primary mission of Aguma and his cohorts is to weaken the party in order to pave way for the continuation of the governance of the State by the PDP beyond 2023. The plot is to sinisterly install another Ikwerre son after Amaechi and Wike to the detriment of other tribes in the State. This mission seems more important to them than reconciliation which would not be in their interest. They know that if they decamp, their case in court against the APC would perish. So, it is in the interest of the PDP that Igo Aguma has vowed to remain in the party to continue the agenda through unending court cases. Trying to bring them to a genuine reconciliation table would be difficult if not impossible.
To demonstrate the unseriousness of Aguma and his cohorts to the mandate of the this committee, Aguma suggested that the Hon. Minister of Transportation, Rt. Hon. Chibuike Amaechi, should step aside as leader of the All Progressives Congress in Rivers State before reconciliation can take place. This is an obvious charade.
The Committee should note that such demand from Aguma, as a prerequisite for reconciliation does not depict him as someone who is ready for peace, reconciliation and progress of the APC.
It would be recalled that the subsisting Order of Court restraining the APC from conducting Congresses in Rivers State is to Aguma’s credit. Despite the condemnations he received for his ill-conceived action against the party, Igochukwu Aguma has continued to brag about the court order, although he is yet to come clean on his reasons behind the move. It is clear that this crisis is being hatched from outside the party from Aging’s body language and antecedents, any attempt for reconciliation would be impossible because he is fighting for a course in the interest of the PDP.
While I encourage dialogue as an option to settle all scores, I fear that Igochukwu Aguma, may turn out to be a dangerous spy, an intelligencer for an unknown glorified local champion, in the pursuit of a selfish private vendetta. It is good to mention that Aguma has severally been challenged to recant all actions lodged in the court against the party, and come to dialogue if he still has the interest of the Rivers APC at heart. But the fact remains that peace and dialogue are not among the agenda of Aguma and his cohorts because their scheme is in fulfillment of their part of the bargain with Gov. Wike and the Rivers State Chapter of the PDP.
Let me formally expose the game plan of Aguma and his sponsors. Regardless of all he has gained through Amaechi, Aguma decided to join forces to ruin the Minister and the Rivers APC to help Wike actualize the evil vision of installing Rt. Hon. Austin Opara, another great son of Ikwerre and erstwhile Deputy Speaker of the Federal House of Representatives, as the next Governor of Rivers State, so that the Ikwerre will govern Rivers State for 24 years through Amaechi, Wike and Opara, to the detriment and exclusion of other tribes of the State.
It is obvious that the gang up against the Rivers APC headed by Aguma is to pave way for the Ikwerre ethnic nationality and the PDP to hold on to power beyond 2023, a position Rt. Hon. Amaechi has continually opposed.
Amaechi wants the Riverine section of the State to take over the Brick House; that is why Wike and his gang are hell-bent that he must be destroyed.
Let me highlight that betrayals and strife will end when people begin to see politics and integrity as synonymous. I sue for peace but not the graveyard peace stewed in dishonesty.
THE GENESIS OF THIS CRISIS
My good friend, Senator Magnus Ngei Abe, in his thinking traced the crisis of the party on three occasions or events.
In an interview he granted both to AIT and Vanguard Newspaper, as well as a Press statement issued by his Media Aide, he tried so hard to upturn the rudimentary issues that sparked the crisis in the Rivers APC.
Sen. Abe, had in an interview with Vanguard Newspaper, titled, “How my fight with Amaechi started~~Chief Senator Magnus Abe opens up!” preempted, predicated and premised on the Amaechi’s visit to his Abuja residence where he alleged that Amaechi asked him to kill any hope of becoming the state governor under the APC in 2019 as the genesis of the crisis of Rivers APC; whereas, his press statement issued by PARRY SAROH BENSON, his Media Aide quoted the Senator from his AIT Interview as saying: “…The origin of this whole problem was the disobedience to Court orders that brought the face-off between Rivers APC and the Nigerian judiciary. It has nothing to do with a third party. It has to do with behaviour of the people in the party…” These conflicting positions add credence to the assertion that Abe is skilled in mudslinging and malevolent enterprise.
It is unfortunate that Abe will like to rewrite the history of the crisis of Rivers APC by postulating that the crisis commenced from the visit of the Minister to his house which was primarily to plead with him to allow the party to be rebuilt.
To buttress this point, Barr Dike Princewill, a stakeholder in the politics of Rivers State, capturing what transpired during Amaechi’s visit to Abe stated, “My big friend and brother, Sen.Magnus Abe is begging the issue in his narrative. The real problem erupted when people started nursing ambitions that were creating schism in the party that was in dare need of repositioning. Chibuike Rotimi Amaechi’s only advise then was that there has to be a party first before ambitions could be realised. Let’s know when the rains started in order to seek proper shelter. This is the same advise that Alhaji Atiku Abubakar has recently canvassed in order to reposition the PDP ahead of the 2023 elections. If there was discipline in the rank and file of Rivers APC at that time and Amaechi, the leader’s advise was heeded, the party would have been a winning machinery. Vaulting ambitions made reasons to take flight. Sad.”
Dike’s position succinctly captures the issue, not Amaechi’s visit, not even disobedience to court orders, because selfish interests and inordinate ambitions led to the floodgate of litigations that resulted to court orders.
Senator Abe’s position that a faceoff between the Judiciary and the APC ignited the crisis is a mere myth, emanating from the abyss. To us, there the courts acted within the province of law and there is no faceoff between Rivers APC and the judiciary as postulated by Abe.
Let me reiterate at this juncture that the crisis actually started when Senator Abe failed to clinch the APC ticket during the 2014 party Primaries which led to the mobilisation of youths from the Ogoni axis to protest the choice of Dr. Dakuku Adol Peterside, as the consensus candidate for the 2015 gubernatorial election.
It is on good authority that Abe, mobilised Ogoni youths who marched through the popular Azikiwe Road to the main gate of the Government House in Port Harcourt, insisting that the then Governor, Amaechi, betrayed the Ogoni interest by ‘anointing’ Peterside as the governorship candidate of the APC.
The protesters, who had earlier blocked major points of the East-West Road in Eleme Local Government Area, chanted war songs, even as some of them threw stones, damaging some vehicles parked near the Government House. Most of us including the then Governor Amaechi, were held hostage in the Government House by the protesting Ogoni youths.
The Public Relations Officer of the Movement for the survival of Ogoni People (MOSOP) then, Legborsi Esaen was quoted as stating thus; “Amaechi has betrayed the Ogonis. We have resolved to support any party that presents an Ogoni son as its governorship candidate. We are no longer prepared to play second fiddle in the politics of Rivers State. It’s either governorship or nothing”
The Ogonis were affirmative when they further stated, during the protest, “Governor Amaechi made us to defect from the PDP to the APC with hope to give us the governorship ticket. He made us to fight the Federal Government. Governor Amaechi deceived us into following him and now he wants to marginalise us. Amaechi used us and dumped us. Why will he want to make somebody (Dakuku) from Opobo a Governor? Opobo is a single community. They are a minority. Why will he want us, the Ogonis who have four four Local Government Areas to concede to a minority? So we are saying that an Ogoni man must become the Governor of Rivers State in 2015”
To give credence to the stand of the Ogoni as stated above, a key stakeholder in the politics of Rivers State and one of the pivotal Pillars of the so called Abe’s camp, Chief Allwell Onyesoh after five years of this historical protest stated recently in an interview with the Vanguard Newspaper and I quote, “…Magnus Abe was the standout card. We needed a man much mature, competent and has the support base to confront Wike. Wike is from Ikwerre with four LGAs, Abe, Ogoni, with four LGAs too. Then-governor (Amaechi) brought Dakuku from Opobo, the smallest LGA, if I am not mistaken. He brought running-mate from another small ethnic group – Engenni – who wasn’t even politically experienced”. Chief Onyesoh, one of the great Irokos of Rivers State politics went further to insinuate, “As a political party, we have the most lucrative offices. One of them is Director, Operations of NPA. People supply water to ships, clean NPA; do all kinds of things in wharfs. All those you can use to employ massively. What of NIMASA, what of railway? Sam Sam Jaja heads the board of a higher institution, are there no contracts there? You want to win election? Opobo, a tiny place, Dakuku is from there. Sam Sam Jaja is from there and a place as large as Etche and Omuma with over two hundred thousand voters, not one recognition. How do you take care of only a few and expect the majority to vote for you?”
Today, as I write, Oyesoh is officially a member of the PDP.
Abe and his group after failing to clinch the 2015 ticket of APC hatched a deadly plot to sabotage the candidature of Dr. Petetside. They stayed back at Port Harcourt, after being mobilised for the elections. They refused going back to their various constituencies to canvass for votes for APC. The reason was that if Dakuku fails to win the 2015 election, he Dr Dakuku will not go for a second term in 2019 thereby creating an opportunity for Abe to clinch the party’s ticket. Sadly for him and his co-travellers none of these plots worked out as it would have been foolhardy to trust such a character that sabotaged the party in 2015 to be given the party’s ticket in 2019.
No matter whatever anybody may say, the fact remains that this is the beginning of Abe’s fight against Amaechi and the party, and not the erroneous impression being presented to the public by Abe and his misguided group blaming everything on Amaechi’s visit to his house and the alleged face-off between APC and Judiciary.
By all the above accounts, nobody should be further deceived by the antecedents and antics of Abe and his group, using incidents that don’t relate to their reasons of destroying a political party and personality that played key roles in whatever they are today in politics.
The Committee should note that Senator Abe is the highest political investment of Amaechi. This, he confessed with his mouth. Amaechi influenced his nomination as a Commissioner in Dr Odili’s administration, appointed him the Secretary to the Rivers State Government and influenced his Senatorial ambition on two occasions to the detriment of other Ogoni sons. What has Amaechi not done in Abe’s political life and history?
In an interview titled, “Abe fighting Amaechi to destroy our party but…” by one of the strong pillars of APC in Rives State, Ambassador Oji Nyimenuate Ngofa who is Nigeria’s envoy to the royal Dutch kingdom of the Netherlands and one time National Deputy Secretary of APC On December 1, 2018 to the Vanguard Newspapers he throw more light on Abe’s plot to destroy APC, “We have evolved as a family with harmony and unity of purpose in how we take decisions. I will not be part of any aspiration that will create disunity within the leadership under the Hon. Minister of Transportation. And I did tell Sen. Abe that I did not think that we should divide the family because of his aspiration. Because the way I see it is that he has a right to aspire, nobody is challenging that but I have issues with the fact that you want to upturn and destroy a system because of your own aspiration. A system that you have been part of that Sen. Abe is one of its biggest beneficiaries; a system that you have been promoting. And I disagreed with that and I told him(Abe) that if he intends to pursue his ambition outside of the framework of our political family and collective interest under Amaechi’s leadership, I will not be part of it. I made it very clear to him”.
EXCERPTS FROM THE REACTIONS OF FEW PARTY MEMBERS:
(1) “This is the very first time I have seen or noticed that single individuals are bigger than political parties. Am still wondering what this scenario is all about. The party in the state and the national left the likes of Abe and Agunma to destroy and destabilize the party in the state, and yet nothing is being done to them. Since they are so big that they cannot be expelled by the party, there is no need crying fowl. But to say the least, the teaming APC population in Rivers State is highly disappointed in what is happening in the party. The earlier these monsters exit APC the better for the party”. – Chief Laz Damabara
(2) “I believe you in this because these bigots are not after the progress of APC but working for another party to destroy APC, they are all on Wike”s payroll doing the dirty work”. Adams Desiru
(3) “Dear Chf Eze, your in-depth fact finding research on the willful disregard of the APC Constitution and the wanton anti-party Statements and activities of Mr. Igo Aguma and his Cohorts on the setting up of Rivers State Caretaker Committee, is a central proof that he is a Settled Spoiler, positioned to put to asunder the teaming members of Rivers State APC to perpetual disadvantage at the of Nick of time. I suggest that your letter should be copied to the Chief of Staff by virtue of his position and Status in the party. He may hasten your letter to the President for needful action. 2019 event must not repeat itself”. – Anuna L. Chukwuebuka
(4) “The reconciliation committee will be flogging a dead horse if they do not look at the inherent attachment of the purported gladiators and their recent antecedent, their romance with the opposition and the flagrant disrespect and disregard to party organs and authorities as enshrined in the party constitution. Again looking at the quick rush to court at any given or slight disagreement and the manner of injunctions obtained raises serious issues of concern. No loyal party member will hope to see his party loose woefully in the manner Rivers APC did. So attempt to reconcile crocodile with a stray alligator is like asking lion to guide leopard. The party will do better if it restructures itself with full progressive ideals and weed away crass conservatives in it’s midst. The results of pampering renegade and recalcitrant members will be too costly in time to come.
Only a party that has lost ideas and political focus will admit all manners of characters in its fold”. – Dr Jackson Omenazu
WHERE ARE ABE’S STRONG MEN?
Dr. Peter Meedeh and Bariere Thomas key actors within the Abe’s alleged faction are all currently serving as Commissioners in the State Executive Council of Rivers State while Barry Mpigi, who left him very early is now a PDP Senator of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.
According to Chief Allwell Onyesoh, Senator Abe’s main pillar who recently joined PDP stated, “I am tired of being in court today court tomorrow, everyday court injunction, I am tired, if that is how politics has been from the beginning nobody will love to be a politician. I am now a PDP member, I need your support to be relevant in the party, thank you very much and God bless you”.
Reacting to this new development, Adams Desiri stated, “Now that Alwell Nyeso has officially confirmed your suspicion all along, it is time Magnus follow suit and allow us to rebuild the APC in Rivers State, he has done enough damage already and the leadership of the party must be on the lookout for their remnant that might be used against the party in the nearest future”.
What other proof does anyone need to understand that Abe is staying back to see how he can pull down and destroy the party that sustained him in the Senate, I implore the APC National Reconciliation Committee shouldn’t play into his hands to achieve his sinister plot against the party.
ON THE WAY FORWARD:
Bouchi Nsirim a prominent member of Rivers APC highlighted that, “it will take the blood of Jesus and extra, to heal the wounds in Rivers APC. The hate and blackmail amongst the leaders is worse than I thought”.
In this regard, Barr Eli Sogbeye a great thinker from Rivers State gave an insight on the way forward, “I think the way forward is divorce with the complete breakdown of these relationships. There is nothing to be gained from an incestuous affair neither is there anything profitable in an unwilling cohabitation”
Gimah Bealeema, another great son of Rivers State from Gokana maintained, “Amaechi’s dynasty has not collapsed and will never collapse. Those who have eaten enough from him are going. We that are diehard amachified are with him. I have suggested long ago that the stakeholders meeting at various local government should sit and suspend these goal getters one by one.”
Senator Magnus Abe shocks the entire world and added credence to his earlier position when he stated thus in a public forum: “Some people are busy looking for who is causing the problem, but you (Wike) are trying to look for solutions. I think we should ALIGN with those looking for solutions and LEAVE those looking for causes.”
Chief Allwell Onyesoh, a pillar behind Abe’s revolt postulated as a way forward, “If we, too, after so much and nothing are happening, decide to move, that won’t make us bad people. If we can no longer organise the powers-that-be and ourselves are not helping matters, we will look at those who are organised if we must continue to play the game. There will be realignment of forces”.
Iroko Onyesoh”s position tallies with the position of Senator Magnus Abe who publicly stated that they would be joining Wike who is better organised and have solutions to his group’s plight. Chief Onyesoh have already joined PDP with thousands of Abe’s supporters.
My question then is, must Abe and his misguided co-travellers destroy APC before they move? God forbid!!
CONCLUSION
Let me therefore appeal and encourage Abe and his acolytes, “as we expect them to move to their better organized platform, I appeal to them to do that peacefully and allow APC to have peace and forge ahead accordingly”.
On the way forward, I supports the position of Magnus Abe aptly captured by Chief Onyesoh when he stated, “…If we, too, after so much and nothing is happening, decide to move, that won’t make us bad people. If we can no longer organise ourselves and the powers-that-be are not helping matters, we will look at those who are organised if we must continue to play the game. There will be realignment of forces.”
We understand all these game plans and plead with Abe and his group to leave Amaechi and those who are still interested to reposition the party for a better future for Rivers State and her teeming populace.
I appeal to the Akande led APC National Reconciliation Committee to carefully study the points raised in this memo and do the needful and save the party from the hands of these agents of destabilization. In doing this, the Committee should consider the inputs and sacrifices made by Amaechi in building this party coupled with the deaths of our members who were slaughtered in building the party and ensured that divisive elements are shown the way out of the party to safeguard the integrity of the party.
Signed
Chief Eze Chukwuemeka Eze, is a Stakeholder and committed member of APC based in Port Harcourt, Rivers State and can be reached via ezemediaconcept2020@gmail.com and 08022049770
