By Chimaobi Afiauwa
The Rivers State chapter of the All Progressives Congress (APC) has refuted reports circulating in the media that it has invited the immediate past governor of the state, Nyesom Wike, to join and lead the party.
This comes as there have been strong media speculations that the former governor could defect to the ruling APC, following his recent hobnobbing with leaders of the party, especially President Tinubu.
The party made this known in a statement titled, ‘APC Did Not Call For Wike’s Admittance Into Its Fold’, signed by the party’s State Publicity Secretary, Darlington Nwauju, made available to Channels TV and obtained by our correspondent on Saturday evening.
“The attention of All Progressives Congress (APC) in Rivers State has been drawn to calls by impostors and sponsored amorphous groupings acting as fronts for the immediate past Governor of Rivers State, Mr . Nyesom Wike, that APC in Rivers State is calling on him (Mr . Wike) to join the same party he had characterised as suffering from cancer,” the statement partly reads.
“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-sponsored story planted in any medium that Rivers State APC had at any forum invited Mr. Wike to join our party none the least calling on Wike to take over leadership of a party he never campaigned for.”
The Rivers APC reminded Wike that his 8-year dictatorial rule was not in tandem with the ideals of the party while alleging that the former governor wants to join the party to escape justice for his rapacious looting of the state’s patrimony.
“The terror unleashed on our party members in the course of his eight years 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,” the statement alleged.
“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 none 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.”
The Rivers APC chapter noted that it had a legally recognised state office where all official business is conducted, adding that also had a standard procedure for convening meetings based on its 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,” it said.
“We, thereof, locate the leadership of our party from any so-called stakeholders meeting suggesting that our party be handed over to Mr. Wike. We reiterate our party’s resolve to lend 100% support to the policies and programmes of the Federal Government under the indefatigable leadership of our President, His Excellency Bola Ahmed Tinubu GCFR.
“We warn blackmailers and conflipreneurs to desist from the shameless tradition of using the name of our party to curry favour from desperate politicians seeking relevance at the centre.”
