Ahead of this Saturday ward congresses of the All Progressives Congress, APC, the senator representing Rivers South-East senatorial district in the National Assembly, Sen. Magnus Abe, has advised the leadership of the APC in the state to shelve every plan to manipulate the will of members of the party during the congresses.
The senator’s advise is coming barely hours after the state chapter of the party warned its members to shun any act targeted at manipulating the process or causing violence, adding that anyone caught would be expelled from the party.
Addressing a press conference in Port Harcourt on Wednesday, few hours after a State Executive Committee meeting, Abe said: “We are trying to advise the party to avoid any situation that will make members unable to elect people that will manage the affairs of their party. We want to move away from speculations and look at the real things on ground.
“We have all continued to have confidence in the party to manage the situation in the party. It is always very difficult to convince somebody to walk to his funeral, that is why they carry people in caskets.
“The things that had happened in the party in the last couple of weeks have given members serious concern about the transparency of the process that is forthcoming.
“I believe that this concern will be adequately addressed so that we can move forward as one party. We still will wait to hear from the party on what should be done.”
Earlier, state Chairman of the party, Chief Davies Ikanya, warned that the party will not hesitate to expel members found to be involved in violence during the exercise.
Ikanya said: “Of course, there will be free and fair congresses; the guideline itself has it that anybody, who is associated with violence will be expelled from the party if proved. We are saying this because the person will be given fair hearing.
“Same thing applies to those who are going to conduct congresses; if you do something that is untoward, you have to face the disciplinary process and if you are found guilty, the party will take disciplinary measures against you. Members must obey the guidelines of the party.”
