Rivers: Abe, supporters boycott APC Ward Congress

…Sue for calm among members

Barth Ndubuwah, Port Harcourt

The former Senator representing Rivers South East at the National Assembly, Sen. Magnus Abe’s led faction of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Rivers State has boycotted the Saturday ward Congresses of the party, citing exclusion by the committee saddled with the responsibility of organising the election.

Addressing his supporters at Freedom House, his Party Secretariat Friday, Abe said he has done everything humanly possible to achieve peace in Rivers APC,but regretted that the State leader of the party and Minister of Transportation, Rt Hon Rotimi Amaechi has rebuffed the entreaties.

He urged his supporters to remain calm as efforts will be made to approach their National Secretariat to intervene on the matter.

“Let me tell you that the lady that came. to sell nomination forms was acting on instructions.

“Just yesterday she called and gave me 100 forms, which I rejected. I told her that I was not interested and because peace and building of party is not an event,it is a process, so we must all be ready make sacrifices,” Abe said.

He urged his teeming supporters not to fight or cause crisis,but they should rather remain calm and await the intervention of the National Secretariat on the matter.

He admitted that some ‘conflict entreprenures’ must have been benefitting from the crises in the party, but they must remain resolute till victory is achieved.

He ruled out the possibility of leaving the party as a result of the crises, insisting that he would remain in APC to ensure that things are done rightly.

“I will do everything possible to bring Rivers people together to challenge the status quo.Peace is a process and not an event. This is our party and we built it from the beginning,so we are not going anywhere. We must remain to salvage it together,” Abe stressed.

Meanwhile the APC Rivers State Public Relations Officer (PRO), Hon. Ogbonna Nwuke has accused the Abe faction of  working secretly with PDP to obtain court injunction o stop the planned ward Congress.

As at time of filing this report, Abe has not responded to the allegation.