From Blessing Ibunge, Port Harcourt
Stakeholders and leaders of the All Progressives Congress, APC, loyal to former Senator Magnus Abe, are soliciting for peace and unity in Rivers State chapter of the party.
The stakeholders from across the 23 Local Government Areas of the state made the call in a communiqué issued at the end of their yearly meeting held in the various headquarters of the LGAs in the state.
The communiqué which was signed by Sam Atasia Oburu, Media and Publicity, APC, River State, condemned the continuous political feud which has kept the party where it is even after the 2019 general elections, with no APC member holding an elective position in the state.
The stakeholders noted that the party in the state would have participated in the general election if the state and national leaders had followed the right steps during the congresses.
The communiqué states “stakeholders and leaders of APC cut across the 23 LGAs of Rivers State held is stakeholders meetings in all the headquarters of the Local Government Areas during the end of year 2019. After the meeting they all came out with independent communiqués signed by the leaders which were summarized into this one general communiqué.
Mr Oburu, a former contestant to the position of National Publicity Secretary of the party in the communique said, “That while it recognizes the challenges occasioned by the non-participation of the party in the last general elections which made it impossible for the party to hold any elective position in the state. The situation has not affected the massive support and patronage the party enjoys at the grassroots.
“That the All Progressive Congress in the state is in solidarity with thousands of members of the party who went to court to have their rights to participate in a free, fair and credible congress enforced and stand firmly to the judgment of the supreme court on the matter which asked the party to revert to the status quo.
“The stakeholders, therefore vehemently condemn in very strong and unequivocal terms the seemingly unending political fends that have bedeviled and characterized the party in the state owing to the unchecked absolution and undemocratic practices exhibited by a supposed leadership of the party in the state.
“They frowned at the impurity and lack of respect for the rule of law by the said leadership. The stakeholder urges the perpetrator (s) of the Rivers crisis whose stock in trade is the promotion of undemocratic values to desist forthwith and embrace democratic best practices that will help to restore the lost glory of the party in River State”.
However, they congratulated the Deputy Senate President, Ovie Omo-Agege for emergence as the leader of the party in the region.
“The stakeholder used the opportunity to congratulate the South-South regional leaders for promoting democratic principles in the adoption of the Deputy Senate President Ovie-Omo-Agege who is the sixth highest ranked personality in government as the leader of the APC in the South-South.
“We totally embrace and congratulate Senator Ovie-Omo Agege and urge him passionately to use his leadership of the region to usher in the much needed peace in River State APC.
That in recognition of the unparalled role Dist. Senator Magnus Abe has continued to play in keeping the APC aloft and sustaining the party in River state, we pass a resounding vote of absolute confidence on him and pledge our unalloyed loyalty and support as he pilots the affairs of the party at this critical period of the party’s history in the state.
“That the All Progressive Congress in the state also passes a vote of confidence on the the President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, President Muhammadu Buhari GCFR and National leader of the party; Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu”.
The communiqué further enjoins all stakeholders, leaders and party members “to remain calm, steadfast and loyal to the party, even in the face of the challenges identified above, stay focused and fully committed efforts to the concerted efforts to continue the reformation of the party and the propagation of the principles of internal democracy which forms a critical part of the ideals of the party”.
They added that “The ideals and principles of transparent internal democratic process were put to test in Bayelsa state where the APC was in opposition and it produced result.
The stakeholders, however, congratulated the Bayelsa governor elect, Chief David Lyon and the Minister of State and Petroleum Resources, Chief Timipre Sylva for their firm belief in the attributes of egalitarian internal democratic process and political leadership of Bayelsa APC that birthed the APC victory in Bayelsa State.
