By: Felix Ikpotor
Governorship aspirants from the riverine extraction under the platform of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Rivers State have agreed to work with whoever emerges after the primary elections to be conducted by the party.
The aspirants came out with this in a communiqué issued at a press conference in Port Harcourt on Monday.
They said their position was as a result of consultations and interactions among governorship aspirants of the party.
However, it was gathered that the aspirants came to the conclusion after efforts to get them to support a single candidate amongst them to fly the party’s flag in 2023 failed.
Port Harcourt Spectator reports that leader of the party in the state and transportation minister, Chibuike Amaechi is favourably disposed to a riverine governor.
The communiqué which was signed by Dr. Sokonte Davies, Dr. Dakuku Adol Peterside, Dr. Dawari I. George, Architect Tonye Cole, Prince Tonye T.J.T. Princewill, Engr. Biokpomabo Awara, Chief Francis Ebenezer Ada, Hon. Mina Tende, Hon. Ojukaye Flag Amachree and Hon. Ibinabo Michael West also urged aspirants to go about their various consultations without abusing each other.
The communiqué reads:
1. The Progressive Aspirants commend the party leadership on the peaceful and successful hosting of the party’s national convention and congratulate all those elected into National Working Committee.
2. The Progressive Aspirants agreed that all Aspirants should go about their consultations in a peaceful and civil manner; avoiding name calling, insults and pulling down other Aspirants to gain attention. Aspirants also agreed to caution their supporters and social aides from attacking aspirants from opposing camps.
3. The Progressive Aspirants also agreed to work in unity and support whoever emerges at the party primaries either by way of consensus or election as exemplified by the party leadership at the just concluded National convention.
4. The Progressive Aspirants called on the party leadership to ensure a level playing field for all Aspirants during the primaries to give everyone a sense of belonging, fairness and equity.
5. As a way of respecting the party supremacy, the aspirants resolved that immediately a candidate emerges, all aspirants will put self and ego aside and collapse their various campaign structures into the party structure to support the flag to win the 2023 elections for APC in Rivers State.
6. The Progressive Aspirants Forum call on Rivers people and residents to get their PVCs ready to vote for all APC candidates at all levels to emerge victorious in the 2023 elections.
7. The Progressive Aspirants agreed to consult stakeholders, elder statesmen, opinion leaders and key politicians in the state to support power rotation to the Riverine-Ijaw come 2023as a way of ensuring equity, justice and fairness in the distribution of political offices.
8. The Progressive Aspirants also affirmed their unalloyed loyalty to the President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, His Excellency, Muhammadu Buhari GCFR, and our leader, the Minister of Transportation, Rt. Hon. Chibuike Rotimi Amaechi, and commend him for his courage to declare his interest to run for the office of President in the 2023 elections.
9. The Progressive Aspirants Forum also commend the state leadership of the party led by Chief Emeka Beke, for keeping the party in the state together and also leading delegates to a successful convention.
Finally, the forum calls on all genuine members of the APC in Rivers State to seek reconciliation, forgiveness, close ranks and work with the leadership of the party in the state to ensure the party wins the governorship seat and other legislative offices both at the state and national level come 2023.
Signed this 11th Day of April, 2022.
