The crisis rocking the Rivers State Chapter of the All Progressives Congress (APC) took another dimension on Thursday after the faction loyal to Nyesom Wike, Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), urged the National leadership of the party to forgo considering Rotimi Amaechi’s allies for lucrative appointments.
Wike’s camp who made the call claimed that Amaechi’s camp, along with Tonye Cole, the governorship candidate, and former House of Representatives member Dakuku Peterside, failed to support Tinubu in the February 25 election during a meeting with the APC National Chairman, Abdullahi Umar Ganduje.
The group also called on Ganduje to adhere to an existing court order that allegedly endorsed the Amaechi-led group’s expulsion from the party.
Wike’s camp said, “These group of persons who we liken as Watermelon, with the characteristic feature of presenting Green on the outside but Red on the inside.
“We pray, Mr. Chairman, to discountenance the machinations of the pretenders, who, via hues and cries and trumping up lies, want to negate the Natural law that aptly recommends that one reaps where the one sows.
“Those persons Never supported the Party, nor are they sincere in their hearts, to be happy that President Tinubu made it to the Presidency.
“The only group in APC Rivers State legitimate to seek compensation for the victory of APC/Tinubu in Rivers State is the one here.”
In response, Ganduje thanked the Wike’s group for their contribution to the presidential election, but he emphasised that party elders must put their differences aside and vow to cooperate amicably.
The former governor of Kano State added by requesting that the organisation give the National Working Committee (NWC) the opportunity to review the constitution and address the situation responsibly.
He said, “And one important question that you asked and we to ask is how come we won the presidential election and lost the state election. You said that was a miracle. Yes, if you say a miracle, there must be a messiah.
So we have to thank you for the position election, we have to not only thank you, we have to congratulate you, and what you did is as a result of what we are enjoying now.
“Because without winning the federal election, across many states, Asiwaju Bola Ahmed could not have become the president of this country.
“So we have to congratulate you on that. But what we are saying, yes, there is confusion in the Party, but we don’t want members to overhit the system, we are focused, we are organized, and we work scientifically in politics.
“Therefore, you give us an enabling environment, give us a chance so that we can put a round peg in a round hole, a square peg in a square hole so that we maintain our dignity as a party.
“We have to capitalize on what we have, we have to capitalize on the fact that we have won the national election in River State. We are not extracting anything less again, but give us a chance to see how we can have both the states and the national election together.
“Whatever it is, we have received your address, and the Party will come in and see how we can get a solid party leadership so that we can move forward. But what we are begging is not to overheat the system.
Overheating the system, some will go for litigation, and then a vicious cycle will come again. We don’t want too much analysis because they say too much analysis leads to paralysis.
So give us a chance so that we can consult, so that we look at the constitution of APC, and then we wait and see how we can put things in order.”
