Rivers APC: Group Calls For Ameachi’s Suspension, Not Abe

The lingering crisis rocking the Rivers State Chapter of the All Progressives Congress (APC) seem to be getting hotter by the day following the call by a political pressure group of the party for the suspension of the Minister of Transportation, Rotimi Ameachi. 

The pressure group, Freedom House, campaign organization of the immediate past Senator representing Rivers South-East Senatorial District in the Senate, Magnus Abe made the call in statement signed by its Director-General, Worgu Boms.

The call is coming against the backdrop of a recent protest staged at the National Headquarters of the APC by some members of the party in Rivers, demanding the sacking of Abe from the party if he fails to withdraw a suit stopping the conduct of congresses in the state.

The statement said Abe has not committed any crime against the APC for him to be expelled or suspended, adding that “If the party is looking for people to suspend for anti-party activities, the leader of the party, Rotimi Amaechi should go first.”

It described the protest as mischievous and misguided, noting that the former senator was not a party in the suit that stopped the conduct of the APC congresses in the state.

The statement read in part: “We learnt that there was a protest at the APC headquarters in Abuja and calls for the suspension or expulsion of Distinguished Senator Magnus Ngei Abe from the party if he fails to withdraw the pending suit against the conduct of congresses in Rivers State.

“Abe is not a party in the pending suit filed by Ibrahim Umar and others against the conduct of APC congresses in Rivers State. Abe was not an aspirant in the botched APC congresses in Rivers State.”

The statement insisted that it is not anti-party for a member to take the political party he or she belongs to court, saying that seeking legal redress is the right of every Nigerian.

“There is nothing anti-party in a loyal party member seeking a redress in Court. Last year, Ojukaye Flag-Amachree took APC to Court and even got a Perpetual Injunction against the party. Nobody called for his expulsion from the party.

“Also, Tonye Cole took the APC to Court, demanding that the Court should declare him the governorship candidate of the party in Rivers State.

“Before the 2019 elections, while Magnus Abe and his followers remained in the APC, the Minister of Transportation moved with his followers into the African Action Congress (AAC). Even the National Chairman of APC declared that we were not in alliance with any political party.”

“The APC in Rivers is in comatose. If urgent steps are not taken, it may not come out of it early enough, if at all, fit and capable to make a strong showing in the 2023 elections. No one has respect for any person or group that cannot solve their problems.”

The group further recommended that the only way out of the quagmire to resolve the issues with all stakeholders.

“Is to call for and abide by all the judgments and rulings of the State High Court as affirmed by the Court of Appeal and the Supreme Court which not voided the exclusion of the aggrieved members from the Congresses they paid to obtain forms to participate in, but also made some orders.”

The group maintained that the path of constitutionalism is the only viable way out of the situation the party has found itself.