Amaechi, Abe’s LoyalistsTrade Blame over Rivers APC Crisis

Blessing Ibunge

The crisis rocking the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Rivers State has been heightened by the resumed war between supporters of the Minister of Transportation, Mr. Chibuike Amaechi and former Senator Magnus Abe.

The APC members loyal to Amaechi accused Abe of conniving with the Rivers State’s Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Mr. Desmond Akawor.

THISDAY learned that some of the party members from Ward 7 in Asari-Toru Local Government Area of the state and Ward 4 in Opobo/Nkoro LGA held press conference in Abuja, accusing Abe of working with PDP to ensure that the APC is delisted from the 2023 ballot sheet.

But in a swift reaction yesterday, the Leader of APC in Opobo/Nkoro and supporter of Abe, Dr. Bethel Oko-Jaja, said that the press conference that was led by one Mr. Kelvin Okechukwu, was untrue and masterminded by people who do not want members of the party to reunite.

Oko-Jaja, who spoke in Port Harcourt alongside party members from Oyigbo, Andoni and Asari-Toru Local Government Areas, stated that “the problems and challenges of the APC in Rivers State cannot be solved by this underhand method of the minister and his group.

The minister and his group have continued to demonstrate a law-defying methodology in their handling of the factionalised APC in Rivers State.”

Though his name was mentioned among those that allegedly had meeting with the chairman of PDP, Oko-Jaja called on “the Commissioner of Police, Rivers State, to investigate these persons in the press conference and their allegations of illegality in the video clip and unravel the truth behind all of these.”

He stated that the clandestine move to defame other members of the party loyal to Abe in the name of politics should not be allowed to stand.

Similarly, the Rivers Voice of Freedom (RVF), has described the facilitators of the allegations against Abe as “imposters and political jobbers who are not popular but wants to do everything to destroy the innocent ones with high reputations and good moral upbringing.”

The President of the group, Dominic Dumepigi, who spoke in a statement made available to THISDAY, urged Rivers people to continue to insist on justice, stand firm against smear campaigns and demand for equity and fairness at all times.

The group, which has supported ‘Abe for Governor’ in the state, regretted the reason behind the allegations.

Moreover, Senator Magnus Abe has denied the allegations in a statement he titled “The Desperate Attempt to Blackmail Me Ahead of the APC National Convention Will Finally Exposed the Truth.”

Abe said: “The so-called press conference by these desperadoes is nothing but a reflection of the frustration of a leadership that has clearly run out of ideas.

“Ordinarily, it would suffice for comic entertainment if the issues raised and their consequences for our party and our state were not so grave. The allegations made by these gentlemen in the public glare constitute a conspiracy by a Lawyer, Mr. Worgu Boms, Ambassador Desmond Akawor and the others named, to perverse the cause of justice, and if such a meeting was held all those involved ought to be prosecuted and punished, no matter how highly placed.”

He revealed that he has directed his solicitors to submit a petition to the Commissioner of Police of Rivers State demanding an immediate investigation of the allegations.

He added: “All these efforts and money spent to sow hate and division within the party, can’t we put them into a genuine effort to build a party that can compete in a proper election in Rivers State?”