The leadership of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Rivers State has said it is embarrassing and improper for some of the party’s governors to visit Governor Nyesom Wike in complete disregard for the party’s state chapter.
The party warned that the governors were sabotaging efforts to reclaim the former APC-controlled state by parleying with the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) governor.
The warning came in the wake of repeated visits to Wike by APC governors from the South-west zone.
The Rivers State APC said it was disrespectful for the APC governors to continue to hobnob with Wike at the expense of the party in the state. Describing such act as anti-party activity, the leadership of party therefore urged the APC national leadership to prevail on the South-west governors to desist from what it called an inimical solidarity with the state governor.
It declared, “Visiting Wike is an embarrassment to our efforts in trying to reclaim the state.”
Rising from a one-day consultative meeting with stakeholders in the South-south zone, held at the APC secretariat in Port Harcourt, Chairman of the party in Obio/Akpor Local Government Area, Sydney Nyeche, said, “We find it disrespectful that while we are toiling for the party in the state, some group of governors from the west (South-west) will come to the state, go to Rumueprikom and be negotiating with Nyesom Wike.
“The attention of the national chairman is drawn to this because we will not tolerate this anymore. We have had enough.
“We urge the National Working Committee (NWC) of the party to warn these governors from the west to desist from coming to the state to negotiate with the governor. This level of embarrassment we have suffered should stop.
“I cannot be threatened everyday because of my political leanings and somebody will come from the west to rubbish our efforts. If they cannot come to the state to show solidarity with us, they should stop coming to the state.”
In his own remarks, the state APC chairman, Emeka Beke, flayed the non-remittance of 25 per cent of funds generated from the sale of forms to candidates in the state during the party primaries to strengthen the party.
Beke demanded support from the national leadership of the party. He emphasised that the state chapter would reciprocate in the same manner it was being treated.
He said, “Please, we urge the national chairman that Rivers State bought forms worth over N1 billion and we are requesting that they should remit to the state 25 per cent of funds generated through the sale of the forms.
“If the money is not remitted to the state, they should forget about coming to the state to canvass for the presidential candidate.
“If the national body does not listen to us, we will take our destiny in our hands, vote for our House of Representatives members and Senate and put our focus on the governorship of the state, and we will win.
“The national body needs to support us, if not, we will not support them. We are loyal party men and we believe in the leadership of the party at the top, but they should support us.”
Earlier, convener of the meeting and Vice Chairman, South-south zone of APC, Victor Giadom, said the essence of the meeting was to understand clearly the challenges of the party in the state and areas to improve on. Giadom promised to collate the report of the meeting and send to the national leadership of the party to ensure solution to the complaints raised.
“We have come, we have listened to them, we have heard them clearly, and we will put them together and report to the national leadership to ensure that we find solutions to all the things that we know will help us win election in the state,” he said.
Blessing Ibunge in Port Harcourt
