Moves for reconciliation in the Rivers All Progressives Congress (APC) may not be out of place but those making the moves must first find out the real mission and agenda of those perpetually hanging the Party in court with active support of those who boast of controlling the Judiciary. Those destroying the Party with litigation may actually be a secret group now in another political but using court cases as excuse to stay behind and ensure the total destruction of APC while their real Party is winning all elections, as a matter of strategy.
The erstwhile National Publicity Secretary of the defunct New People’s Democratic Party (nPDP), and chieftain of the APC, Chief Eze Chukwuemeka Eze, who handed down the caution, however commended President Muhammadu Buhari and the leadership of the APC over moves to reconcile warring factions within the chapters of the party that are having divisive and internal conflicts. Eze has also urged the national leadership of the Party to take a closer look at the Rivers APC crisis because its own case is different and unique.
Recall that President Muhammadu Buhari had on 10th February, 2020, approved the reconstitution of the 12 -member Reconciliatory Committee, this time, to be headed by Chief Bisi Akande, while the 2019 governorship candidate of the APC in Cross Rivers State, Sen. John Owan Enoh, serves as secretary. The sole mandate is to address grievances of party members across the country and resolve existing conflicts in a bid to foster oneness, strengthen the party for better governance, and ensure unity of purpose within the ruling APC. Eze warned that while reconciliation may be in the minds of those quarrelling in other states, it may not be in the minds of those fighting the Party in Rivers State.
In a statement made available to media houses, Chief Eze urged the Reconciliation Committee to critically study the events in Rivers State before embarking upon on any reconciliatory move, as anything contrary to this will amount to an exercise in futility.
While expressing optimism over the capacity of the committee to deliver on its mandate, Eze expressed hope that the seeming unending crisis both in the Rivers APC and other chapters of the party will soon be consigned to history.
According to the party chief, “Dr Akande-led Reconciliation Committee should note that the case of Rivers State chapter of the party is a bit unique and different from that of other chapters and therefore, cannot be handled in a manner depicting a mere feud, owing to the fact that some extremes and agents of other political parties and external forces are interested and hell bent on destabilizing and weakening the party structure in the State in order to pave way for the operation of a one party system in the State.”
Chief Eze further posited that “in the eyes of the world we have two or three factions within the Rivers APC – Amaechi, Abe and to some extent Aguma’s 3rd Force. This is far from the truth.” Setting the record straight, Eze said, “The truth is that Senator Magnus Abe insisted that if the party’s 2019 gubernatorial ticket is not given to him, then the party will not exist in the State. To achieve this, he hurriedly set up machineries to frustrate the party, and as a result, succeeded in installing the failed PDP Government which has left Rivers people in squalor and pauper.”
Accordingly, Chief Eze expressed that “Abe’s protracted and divisive acts within the Rivers APC took a disturbing and calamitous trend during the 2019 electioneering processes when the party and its candidates were disallowed to participate in the 2019 electoral contest, paving way for the People’s Democratic Party to clinch victory at the polls at the detriment of Rivers electorate.” Eze said Senator Abe has made good his threat to punish the APC for not giving him the ticket, and thus wondered what anybody any reconciliation would fetch Senator Abe when he is expected to go and collect his reward for doing a good job for Governor Wike, PDP and his external forces.
Months after the general elections, one would have thought that Abe and his group would allow peace to prevail to enable the party put its structure in order and allow things to take shape within the party for sober reflection, stock-taking and proper planning for future engagements, but it is worrisome to learn that events have proved otherwise.
The national leadership must understand that such a person would not want reconciliation at this moment so they can hide under party crisis to continue to work out things in their real party.
The none-existing Aguma’s third Force whose mission is to continue the decimation of the party from where Abe stopped shockingly came up immediately Abe’s case and attempt to frustrate the party from organising her Congresses duly approved by the National Working Committee of the party met its waterloo. Aguma went further to abuse and insult the National Chairman of the party, Adams Oshiomhole, including the Leader of the party in the State, Dr. Chibuike Rotimi Amaechi.
The primary mission of Aguma and his cohorts is to weaken the party in order to pave way for the continuation of governance of the State by PDP come 2023 and sinisterly install another Ikwerre son after Amaechi and Wike come 2023, to the detriment of other tribes in the State. This mission seems more important to them than reconciliation which would not be in their interest. They know that if they decamp, their case in court against the APC would perish. So, it is in their interest to remain in the party and continue the agenda through court cases. Trying to bring them for genuine reconciliation could be difficult, Chief Eze observed.
Eze who laughed at the funny position of Aguma lashed at him over comments credited to him, calling on the Hon. Minister of Transportation, Rt. Hon. Chibuike Amaechi, to step aside as leader of the All Progressives Congress in Rivers State.
Describing the comment as childish and untutored, Eze tasked the committee to put an eye on Aguma, stressing that the rationale behind his own grievance is ambiguous and vague. Such demand is not the action of someone who is going into reconciliation. He said it can only show that somebody is afraid of Amaechi and the APC and is ready to use anybody and do anything to stop the Leader in the name of crisis.
It would be recalled that the subsisting Order of Court restraining the APC from conducting Congresses in Rivers State is to Aguma’s credit. Despite the condemnations he received for his ill-conceived action against the party, Igochukwu Aguma has continued to brag about the court order, although he is yet to come clean on his reasons behind the move. It is clear that this crisis is being hatched from outside the party and any attempt for reconciliation with the ones the eyes can see would be impossible because of those beating the drum from outside.
“It’s unfortunate that characters that lack leadership qualities are demanding that Rt. Hon. Chibuike Amaechi resign or abdicate his role as the leader of APC Rivers State. One considers such assertion as criminal boldness because he who builds should dwell in it. It is a natural phenomenon. These crass conservatives will not seize to amuse me. These are men with zero electoral value yet they fail to understand that they have been left in a political bus stop long before now”.
Chief Eze said, the pertinent questions are; ”What were their political imprint when service beckoned on them? What are their records of achievements as commissioners or federal legislators? How many lives did they positively impact on? How many projects did they attract to their constituencies? How many bills did they sponsor or co-sponsor in the National Assembly (NASS)? What was their political reach- out that accrued benefits to Rivers people?
“Their outburst is nothing but a selfish demand of unserious minds lacking in objective thinking.” Eze asserted.
Eze wondered how the Akande-led Committee intends to reconcile the party with such characters whose agenda are well known.
Chief Eze advised that the honourable men and women in the Reconciliation Committee must first understand the agenda of the trouble makers in the Rivers APC to know if reconciliation is even in their master plan.
In another development, while the likes of Aguma are doing their best to bring down Amaechi, Chief Eze said Nigerians all over the country are celebrating and bestowing on him one honour or the other, including chieftaincy titles. Today the peoples Minister and Minister of the decade is honoured with a Chieftaincy Title of DIKE DI OHA MMA 1 of Uturu, Isuikwuato, by the Traditional Ruler and Chiefs of Uturu in Isuikwuato of Abia State. By this title, he has become a member of the Traditional Rulers Council of Uturu and Abia State.
In conclusion, Eze congratulated the peoples Minster on the Foundation laying ceremony for a Transport Institute at Gregory University, Uturu, Isuikwuato LGA of Abia State in Eastern Nigeria as timely and in the right direction. He said by this, Chief Amaechi has proved his love and commitment to the development of the South-East.
