Rivers APC crisis: why I went to court to stop today’s congresses –Amaechi’s ally Igo Aguma

A two-term member of the House of Representatives, from Rivers State, Igo Aguma, who is an ally of the Minister for Transportation, Rotimi Amaechi, has disclosed why he approached the Rivers High Court, Port Harcourt, to stop the congresses of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in the state scheduled for today.

Aguma, a chieftain of the APC, yesterday through the telephone, stated that he did not go to court to embarrass his leader (Amaechi), but to provide a solid foundation for the main opposition party in Rivers, to ensure peace, inclusiveness, unity, internal democracy and progress.

On Wednesday, Justice G.O. Ollor of the Rivers High Court, Port Harcourt, struck out the suit by Ibrahim Umar and 22 others, who are supporters of the representative of Rivers Southeast Senatorial District in the 7th and 8th Senate, Magnus Abe, who was APC’s governorship aspirant during the 2015 and 2019 elections in the state.

With Wednesday’s judgment, the interim order which halted the ward, local government and state congresses of the APC in Rivers state was set aside, but Abe’s supporters indicated that they would approach the Court of Appeal.

On Thursday in Abuja, the National Organising Secretary of the APC, Emma Ibediro, revealed that Rivers APC’s congresses would start today with ward congress, while the local government congress across the 23 local government areas of the state are scheduled to hold on Monday. The state congress according to him is planned for next Friday.

Aguma, in the suit with reference number: PHC/4355/2019, sued the Chairman of the Caretaker Committee of APC in Rivers, Isaac Ogbobula, a lawyer; the APC; and its National Chairman, Comrade Adams Oshiomhole.

The presiding judge, Justice A.U. Kingsley-Chuku, yesterday ordered that the three defendants (Ogbobula, APC and Oshiomhole) must forthwith stop the planned congresses, with the matter adjourned till January 27, 2020, for definite hearing.

The APC chieftain (Aguma) said: “It is not true that Senator Magnus Abe is sponsoring me. By God’s grace, I am an astute businessman. I was born very well. I stand on my conscience and truth. As a former member of the House of Representatives, I am part of the over 30 statutory members of the executive of APC in Rivers State. Some of us should have constituted the caretaker committee, not persons hand-picked and imposed on the party, without wide consultations.

“Former Rivers State governors Rufus Àda-George and Rt. Hon. Chibuike Rotimi Amaechi, my leader, as well as Senator Magnus Ngei Abe, are also part of the statutory members of the executive of Rivers APC, without expiration of tenure and we ought to be adequately consulted always. It is when we hold meetings that vital decisions can be taken.

“26 offices ought to be contested for, but this is not the time for congresses, but for peace, unity and reconciliation. If the congresses are held now, they will be by just a faction of the party in the state, which will be unacceptable. Rt. Hon. Amaechi cannot unilaterally set up caretaker committee, without consulting the critical stakeholders. Besides Rt. Hon. Amaechi and Senator Abe, there are other persons in Rivers APC, which must not be allowed to die, because of ego of two persons. The party is bigger than individuals. The court order is to preserve the rex of the matter.

“I have immensely contributed to build APC in Rivers State. I am a thorough progressive. I believe in the ideals of APC and one of them is internal democracy. A political party cannot do well without internal democracy. There is need for inclusiveness in Rivers APC, which ought to be a political party that will accommodate all shades of opinion. Where will Rivers APC be in 2023? The situation may not be different from the 2019 experience, whereby the party could not field candidates for the state’s House of Assembly, governorship and National Assembly elections.

“Only one person cannot have a political party. People should not be shut out of APC in Rivers State. It should not be about absolutism. It is time to build APC in Rivers State. All shades of opinion must be included in Rivers APC, then it will be called a political party. This is the best time to call for and make peace, as elections are not holding now. Rivers APC must be stronger ahead of the 2023 elections. We must have a solid foundation.”