Amaechi, Abe battle for soul of Rivers APC

Two prominent leaders in Rivers state chapter of the All Progressives Congress, Transportation Minister, Chibuike Rotimi Amaechi, and Senator Magnus Abe have intensified efforts to take control of the structure of the party.

National Daily gathered that different factions loyal to the two gladiators have continued the battle to take control of the structure of the party ahead of the next general election.

While a faction of the party in Rivers State led by one Abott Ogbobula, a loyalist of Amaechi, had inaugurated a Caretaker Committee for the party last week, Igo Aguma leader of the faction of the party loyal to Senator Magnus Abe also inaugurated a parallel Caretaker Committees in Port Harcourt at the weekend.

A day before the inauguration of the factional Caretaker Committee, Aguma, just like Abe had warned that APC in Rivers State is headed for a repeat of mistakes that led to the exclusion of the party from the ballot in Rivers State during the 2019 general election.

He blamed Amaechi who he accused of playing ‘”God Father” of the party for the mistakes.

He also accused Ogbobula and Amaechi of disobedience to court orders which, according to him, recognizes his faction of the party.

He claimed that the court also declared that the committee should also include all statutory members of the party as members of its executive.

Consequently, Aguma, according to a statement by his media aide, also directed the inauguration of the Caretaker Committees for other levels of the party.

“He directed the Local Government Caretaker Committees to inaugurate the Ward Caretaker Committees by this weekend. He further charged the Local Government Caretaker Committees to go back to their various Wards and reconcile all aggrieved members of the Party.

While thanking the “Freedom House” for allowing APC Rivers to use their facility for the inauguration, he also hinted that at the end of the reconciliation efforts in the state, the State Executive Committee and stakeholders will agree on the hiring of an APC Rivers secretariat because there is none at the moment.

“The Chairman re-enacted (reiterated) the directive that all factional offices of the APC in Rivers state should be closed down while commending the Senator Magnus Abe faction for closing down their factional APC Secretariat. He called on His Excellency Rt. Hon. Rotimi Amaechi’s faction to comply by closing down their factional Secretariat at 65 Aba Road Port Harcourt.”