The leadership of the Rivers State chapter of the All Progressives Congress (APC) has described former governor Nyesom Wike as an enemy of the party who is unfit to lead the party in the state.
The Publicity Secretary of the party, Darlington Nwauju, who spoke Saturday in a statement made available to THISDAY in Port Harcourt, said a man who had during the campaign period described the party as “cancer” cannot turn back to lead them.
Nwauju stressed that a man who had not been a member of the party and did not support the party’s interest cannot be promoted to lead them also.
The party spokesperson said, “The attention of All Progressives Congress in Rivers State has been drawn to calls by imposters and sponsored amorphous groups acting as fronts for the immediate past Governor of Rivers State, Mr. Nyesom Wike, that APC in Rivers State is calling on him to join the same party he had characterised as suffering from cancer.
“Nothing can be more preposterous than this kite being flown by minions of Wike working hard to justify their pay cheque.
“We wish to unequivocally dismiss any such rumour or sponsored story planted in any medium that Rivers State APC had at any forum invited Wike to join our party none the least calling on Wike to take over leadership of a party he never campaigned for.
“We dare anyone to provide video evidence of any campaigns where Wike openly campaigned for the APC. The terror unleashed on our party members in the cause of his eight years of maximum rulership alone is enough evidence to confirm that Wike has no business with Rivers State APC. Asking him to come and take over is asking an enemy to come and finish off his victims.
“We are aware of his schemes to escape justice over the looting of the collective patrimony of Rivers people which is the major reason for his romancing top APC members.
“For those who may be suffering from amnesia, a non-APC member cannot be a cheerleader for the entry of Wike into APC. Nobody can decree his membership in a political party through radio or newspaper publications. All vexatious attempts at distracting our party in Rivers State will keep failing.
“For the avoidance of doubts, the APC in Rivers State has a legally recognised state office where all official businesses are conducted. We do also have standard procedures for convening our meetings according to our party’s constitution. Therefore, it is expedient for the public to be aware that village meetings or gatherings cannot equate with a stakeholder’s meeting of APC in Rivers State, especially a gathering that took place at a hotel belonging to such a non-APC member”.
Nwauju further dissociated the leadership of the party from the purported call by a chieftain of the party, asking Wike to lead the state APC. He also expressed the party’s untiring support to the President Bola Tinubu-led government.
“We, therefore, disassociate the leadership of our party from any so-called stakeholders meeting suggesting that our party be handed over to Wike. We reiterate our party’s resolve to lend 100 per cent support to the policies and programmes of the federal government under the indefatigable leadership of His Excellency, President Bola Ahmed Tinubu.
“We warn blackmailers and conflict entrepreneurs to desist from the shameless tradition of using the name of our party to curry favour from desperate politicians seeking relevance at the centre.”
Blessing Ibunge in Port Harcourt
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