APC accuses Wike of plot to destabilise party in Rivers
The leadership of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in River State has accused the State governor, Nyesom Wike, and a former federal lawmaker, Magnus Abe, of plotting to destabilise the party in the state.
Abe, who is a former Senator representing Rivers South-East Senatorial District had been at loggerhead with the Minister of Transportation, Rotimi Amaechi, over the control of the APC machinery in River State since 2019.
The crisis caused the party the 2019 governorship election in the state.
The APC Spokesman Rivers, Chief Ogbonna Nwuke, who disclosed this in a statement to Ripples Nigeria on Wednesday, said the party leadership had uncovered plots by Wike, Abe and some external collaborators to manipulate the judiciary by filing spurious cases in court to destabilise the party in the state.
According to him, the duo had perfect plans to undermine the stability of the party before the courts proceed on break.
The spokesman said: “We have repeatedly accused Governor Nyesom Wike who has been dubbed ‘Father Christmas’ of meddling in the internal affairs of the APC, using Senator Abe as a tool.
“During the last BoT meeting of the PDP, senior members of the opposition blamed the Rivers State Governor for engaging in ignoble acts which have greatly resulted in the destabilization of the PDP.
“Similarly, the mass media is awash with series of publications alleging that in an attempt to remove a fellow Rivers man from the exalted position of National Chairman of the PDP, Governor Wike was ready to offer N50 million to each principal member of the party’s NWC so they could resign in order to force the establishment of a caretaker committee on the party.
“These events, coupled with the governor’s remarks that he is unfairly being described as ‘Father Christmas’ by his own party proved the point that we have persistently made.
“We have consistently maintained that Governor Wike is responsible for the rascality displayed by some erring members of our great party who have apparently sold their souls to the devil.
“We have reportedly laid claim to the fact that officials of the Rivers State government led by Governor Wike have been using these persons whose membership of the party is in doubt to file a litany of court cases.
“Above all, what is playing out within the PDP has proved that the Rivers Governor has been using Rivers money, belonging to Rivers people, to bribe all manner of people, including PDP members at the National Secretariat, corrupt judges, electoral officials, and hungry politicians within our ranks in an effort to destabilize the system and damage the integrity of the Rivers judiciary.
“As we speak, we have come upon credible information that allies of Governor Wike and Senator Magnus Abe have lined up new cases that are being filed by different persons at this time.
“We have also learnt that some members of a judicial ring that has been used repeatedly in the past to deliver objectionable decisions are to be used as vacation judges.
“The plan is to secure injunctions by any means possible; injunctions intended to halt the APC, which by the grace of God, and the leadership of Rt. Hon Rotimi Amaechi, Minister of Transportation, is transforming into the mainstream party of the Rivers people.
“We have decided to bring the evil plots that are being hatched to the notice of the general public. We urge Rivers people to prevail upon the Governor to go slow on his agenda to destabilize democratic structures, including his own political platform, using Rivers money to achieve such Machiavellian objectives.”
