Governor Rotimi Amaechi
By Chuks Okocha
By Chuks Okocha
The disaffection following the conduct of the All Progressives Congress (APC) congresses nationwide continued as members of defunct Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN), the All Nigeria Peoples Party (ANPP) and the Congress for Progressive Change (CPC) that formed APC in Rivers State have defected from the party and declared their support for the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).
The defecting members under the acronym ‘Legacy Parties’ are the three political parties that formed the APC in River State. The bone of contention, it was gathered was the neglect in the sharing of offices in the 23 local government council in the state. The defecting members of the Legacy Parties in the 23 local governments of the state numbered more than 100,000 APC members.
APC Legacy Parties, comprising of the former ACN, ANPP and CPC in the state not only distanced themselves from the just concluded APC the congresses and newly installed executives, but took a bold step to dump the APC and seek refuge in the PDP.
According to the communiqué signed and made available to newsmen, the APC legacy parties said they had accepted to work their way into the PDP, through the guidance of Mr. Tonye Princewill who had also received a copy of this communiqué.
The communiqué said: “On 5th June, 2014 at Emerald Hotel Ltd, Rumuola, Port Harcourt, we the stakeholders/leaders of the legacy parties (ACN, ANPP & CPC) from all the 23 local government areas in Rivers State, held a crucial meeting. We deliberated on the outcome of the just concluded ward, local government area, and state congresses of the APC in the state.
“In the meeting, we realised that out of 319 ward chairmen and secretaries that emerged at the ward and local government area congresses were the former chairmen and secretaries of the defected Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) members that were converted to assume their previous offices in APC. Also, about 98.2 per cent of executive positions at the ward levels were also PDP defected members. We also noted that 1.8 per cent positions left were assistant youth leader, assistant auditors, assistance publicity secretaries, etc, which were allotted to the legacy parties former local government area chairmen who were members of the previous interim executive, this was done without due consultation with legacy party stake holders. This is the height of democratic impunity.
“This undemocratic tendencies exhibited by our party leaders in collaborate with state governor have shown in their body language and action, that
the APC platform have been successfully purchased as a franchise to contest 2015 general election. Having observed this great discrimination and marginalisation, we complained to the governor of Rivers State, Hon Rotimi Chibuike Amaechi, who promised that 10 per cent affirmative in all positions will be given to the legacy parties”, the communiqué signed by the chairmen and secretaries of the defunct ANPP, ACN and CPC in the 23 local governments of the state.
The Legacy Parties members were complaining of the undemocratic activities in the State APC especially in the sharing of offices of APC, insisting that the APC under Governor Chibuike Amaechi has cornered every office to their detriment.
According to the communiqué, “Since our values and presence are not recognised in the APC but tolerated, we should locate an alternative political platform where our interest can be protected and guaranteed.
“That we should identify with Prince Tonye Princewill as our Leader who will guide and lead us to the PDP.
“That we should support the emergence of President Goodluck Jonathan for 2015 and urge him to contest the general election so as to complete the good works he is currently doing in our Nation.”
The statement said the action of the Legacy Parties was a welcomed development, as Princewill had already begun talks with the leadership of the PDP on ways and modalities to absorb and engage the new converts.
The statement said the new converts to PDP are more than 100,000 members.
The defecting members under the acronym ‘Legacy Parties’ are the three political parties that formed the APC in River State. The bone of contention, it was gathered was the neglect in the sharing of offices in the 23 local government council in the state. The defecting members of the Legacy Parties in the 23 local governments of the state numbered more than 100,000 APC members.
APC Legacy Parties, comprising of the former ACN, ANPP and CPC in the state not only distanced themselves from the just concluded APC the congresses and newly installed executives, but took a bold step to dump the APC and seek refuge in the PDP.
According to the communiqué signed and made available to newsmen, the APC legacy parties said they had accepted to work their way into the PDP, through the guidance of Mr. Tonye Princewill who had also received a copy of this communiqué.
The communiqué said: “On 5th June, 2014 at Emerald Hotel Ltd, Rumuola, Port Harcourt, we the stakeholders/leaders of the legacy parties (ACN, ANPP & CPC) from all the 23 local government areas in Rivers State, held a crucial meeting. We deliberated on the outcome of the just concluded ward, local government area, and state congresses of the APC in the state.
“In the meeting, we realised that out of 319 ward chairmen and secretaries that emerged at the ward and local government area congresses were the former chairmen and secretaries of the defected Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) members that were converted to assume their previous offices in APC. Also, about 98.2 per cent of executive positions at the ward levels were also PDP defected members. We also noted that 1.8 per cent positions left were assistant youth leader, assistant auditors, assistance publicity secretaries, etc, which were allotted to the legacy parties former local government area chairmen who were members of the previous interim executive, this was done without due consultation with legacy party stake holders. This is the height of democratic impunity.
“This undemocratic tendencies exhibited by our party leaders in collaborate with state governor have shown in their body language and action, that
the APC platform have been successfully purchased as a franchise to contest 2015 general election. Having observed this great discrimination and marginalisation, we complained to the governor of Rivers State, Hon Rotimi Chibuike Amaechi, who promised that 10 per cent affirmative in all positions will be given to the legacy parties”, the communiqué signed by the chairmen and secretaries of the defunct ANPP, ACN and CPC in the 23 local governments of the state.
The Legacy Parties members were complaining of the undemocratic activities in the State APC especially in the sharing of offices of APC, insisting that the APC under Governor Chibuike Amaechi has cornered every office to their detriment.
According to the communiqué, “Since our values and presence are not recognised in the APC but tolerated, we should locate an alternative political platform where our interest can be protected and guaranteed.
“That we should identify with Prince Tonye Princewill as our Leader who will guide and lead us to the PDP.
“That we should support the emergence of President Goodluck Jonathan for 2015 and urge him to contest the general election so as to complete the good works he is currently doing in our Nation.”
The statement said the action of the Legacy Parties was a welcomed development, as Princewill had already begun talks with the leadership of the PDP on ways and modalities to absorb and engage the new converts.
The statement said the new converts to PDP are more than 100,000 members.
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