Amaechi, Abe’s camp disagree over boycott of Rivers LG polls

•Wike charges APC to grow above politics of bitterness
•As Okorocha seeks new political alliance to rescue Nigeria

The Chibuike Amaechi faction of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Rivers State has disagreed with the Magnus Abe’s camp over the boycott of the April council elections.

The 22 out of the 23 local government chairmen and councilors, who were elected on May 25, 2015 under former Governor Amaechi’s administration, but were sacked by a judgement of the Federal High Court on July 9, 2015, have vowed to return to the Court of Appeal on February 1, 2021, to follow up its pending appeal in the court. They also vowed to boycott the elections, saying their participation to an election, which is before the court would amount to illegality.

The former council chairmen called for the arrest of Abe, former Caretaker Committee Chairman, Igo Aguma and Acting Caretaker Chairman of Abe’s faction, Golden Chioma for allegedly working against the interest of the party and their willingness to participate in the election.

Addressing journalists yesterday in Port Harcourt, spokesman of the chairmen and councilors, Sogbeye Eli, said it would be contemptuous for the Rivers State Independent Electoral Commission (RSIEC) to go ahead with the council polls.

But in a swift reaction, Chioma described the call for their arrest as laughable, saying it was obvious that the sacked chairmen have grievances, but insisted that such reservations should be properly channeled.

Speaking further, Eli accused Governor Nyesom Wike and the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) of being behind the delay in the determination of the appeal, which had been pending before the Court of Appeal since 2015, despite series of letters to the President of the Court of Appeal and the Registrar of the Supreme Court of Nigeria.

MEANWHILE, Governor Nyesom Wike has charged members of the APC in the state to shun politics of bitterness that often make them to frustrate development projects attracted to their communities.

Wike said, politics is a game of interest and forward-looking politicians like him were not vindictive, but pursue interests that would enhance the overall socio-economic wellbeing of communities and individuals that supported the party.

Governor Wike spoke during the inauguration of the Rumuche/Rumuakunde/Ohna Awuse Link Road in Emohua Council unveiled yesterday by former Governor of Imo State, Rochas Okorocha.

Okorocha, who represents Imo West Senatorial District in the Senate, said it was time for people of like-minds who desire the best for Nigeria to stop complaining and join forces to make the country greater.