By: Felix Ikpotor
One of Minister Chibuike Amaechi’s strongmen, Dr. Sokonte Davies has snubbed the consensus arrangement in their faction of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Rivers State to announce his intention to contest the governorship primaries of the party.
Port Harcourt spectator reports that Davies was part of the riverine governorship aspirants of the APC that signed a pact in April to stand by anyone that emerges as the candidate of the party in the elections.
He had previously congratulated Tonye Cole who was last month chosen as the consensus riverine candidate of the party and urged his supporters to abide by the decision.
Davies in a statement he personally signed said events in the party and consultations with his people made him to join the race.
“Recall that on the 22nd of April 2022, far reaching decisions were taken by some elders of the party, whom I respectfully call the 19 Cardinals concerning who the consensus aspirant of the All Progressives Congress, Rivers State Chapter would be especially among the Rivers Ijaw aspirants”.
“The party elders in their wisdom announced Pastor Arch Tonye Cole as the consensus aspirant for the APC for the purposes of the primaries”.
“Subsequently, and in the spirit of sportsmanship and as one who commits to a process whenever I get into one, I congratulated Arch Tonye Cole on his emergence as the preferred aspirant and called on everyone to support him”.
“This has been my position all these past few days. However, emanating events as a result of the process are becoming bothersome. And whilst I do not oppose the outcome and still accept the integrity of the eminent Party leaders, some of the said events have the potential to make it difficult for us to go to the 2023 General Elections as a united front”.
“Consequently, after wide consultation with the topmost leadership of the Party, I have decided to put myself forward to contest the Governorship primaries of the All Progressives Congress in Rivers State”.
“I announce to you that an option is before you today. I have also in the spirit of this, picked up my Expression of Interest and Nomination forms”.
“I will be reaching out to more of you and counting on your support as we embark on this journey together. I submit to you today, that this is about all of us and not some of us,” he said.
