Following the ceaseless gale of defection rocking the Rivers State Chapter of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), erstwhile National Publicity Secretary of the defunct New People’s Democratic Party (nPDP) and chieftain of the All Progressives Congress, Chief Eze Chukwuemeka Eze, has said the determination of Rivers people to severe the state from the bonds of the PDP scavengers, after two terms of maladministration which has left citizens to wallow in poverty and deep want, appears to be gathering momentum more than ever.
Reacting to the defection of former allies and members of the Rivers State Executive Council who served under the current administration of Governor Wike/PDP, to the All Progressives Congress (APC), Eze said nothing can stop a project whose time has come, stressing that power belongs to the people and Rivers people have resolved and are more determined in unity to retake what is theirs and chat a new cause for the state.
In a statement made available to media houses in Port Harcourt, the party Chief expressed delight that the elites and indeed, people of goodwill across party lines are beginning to appreciate the need to honour the power-sharing formula canvassed by the Minister of Transportation and South/South leader of the All Progressives Congress, Rt. Hon. Chibuike Rotimi Amaechi, which acknowledges and gives maximum regard to the multi-ethnic nature of Rivers State and accommodates all interests and opinions in the collective interest of all.
Recall that some former Commissioners, ex-Special Assistants, State Party Executive Committee Members, past Council Chairmen, erstwhile LGA party leaders etc were recently received into the All Progressives Congress last Sunday, in what many have described as a mega defection rally at the APC State Secretariat in Port Harcourt.
Welcoming the new entrants, Rivers APC Caretaker Committee Chairman, Barr. Isaac Abbot Ogbobula assured the defectors of equal rights and fairness in the scheme of things.
While addressing the large crowd of decampees, Amaechi reminded Rivers people where we were when he held sway and called for a contrast between the situation then and the worsening condition to which the current administration has subjected the people. Indeed, the state was better off in all indexes of development.
The former Rivers Governor restated his position to always push for power shift to the riverine area of the state to allow for fairness and all-inclusive power-sharing.
“If my choice is riverine and yours is upland, there’s no problem, on the day of elections, we will all vote and if my riverine candidate loses, I will support the upland that won, and if upland loses, let the loser support the Riverine.
A few days ago, an Ikwerre man in Emouha made a statement that Ikwerres are not tired of the ruling, and so there’s nothing wrong if another Ikwerre man succeeds Wike, for me that’s his opinion and choice, if you think an Etche man, Ogoni man or Ahoada man should rule, that’s your choice, but my choice is I will support a Riverine man or woman to govern the state, I don’t know why people are breaking their head over my statement, it’s my statement and I stand by it, you have your choice and I have mine, we shall settle it at the polls”.
Those who pitched their tents with the APC alongside their massive crowd of supporters Include – former Commissioner for Urban Development and Rural Planning, Hon. Reason Onyia
Immediate past Commissioner for Urban development & Rural Planning, Dr. Reason Onyia; past PDP State Auditor who was also Commissioner for Agriculture under Wike, Hon. Charles Nwaorgu; Engr. Worlu Joshua JP.
Ex. Rivers State SDP Chairman alongside members of his Executive Committee; Hon. Emma Ajikeru, Former State PDP Auditor and erstwhile State Chairman, All Nigerian People’s Party (ANPP).
Others were; Chief Engr. Austin BobManuel, Barr. Miebaka Nabiebu PhD., Alaye Eremie Jr., Asitoa Charles Horsfall, Ebelogu Chinasa Sampson, Hon. Newton Gordon Kpasa,
APGA Chairmanship candidate in Ahoada East in the just concluded April 17, 2021 Council elections, Engr. Tamunotonye Luke Head of Skill Development Department at the Rivers State Sustainable Development Agency RSSDA.
Commending the defectors for their bold step and efforts to see the light, Eze said Wike and his PDP administration will always be remembered for the rains of abuses and array of unfulfilled promises it continually made to the people, and it will certainly be an unblessed memory.
On the other hand, Eze hailed the defection of the Executive Governor of Cross Rivers State, Ben Ayade, to the All Progressives Congress, describing it as a good omen for the Progressives party especially, in the South-South region.
He said Ayade has always displayed the carriage and common traits of a good progressive and expressed confidence that his entrance will place his people on a better pedestal and add weight to the cause of a better Nigeria in 2023.
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