The Congress of All Progressives (APC) has threatened to sanction Ig Aguma (pictured), a former factional party president in Rivers State, over the “alleged suspension” of Rotimi Amaechi, the transport minister.
In a December 23 letter to Aguma, the former House of Representatives, Dare Oketade, head of the ruling party’s legal services, described Aguma as a fraud, saying the APC would not tolerate any action against her.
Isaac Abbot Ogbobula, President of the Transitional Committee in Rijeka, suspended Magnus Abe and Aguma.
In response, Aguma, who heads the faction to which Abe belongs, suspended Amaechi and Andrew Uchendu, a former senator.
The Ogbobula-led committee was established after the party’s national executive committee (NEC) dissolved all its organs across the state.
In the letter, Oketade said the party had set up a reconciliation committee chaired by John Oyegun, the party’s former national president, and Aguma could join him if he had any complaints.
“Attention was drawn to the alleged suspension of Rt through social and print media. Hon. Rotimi Amaechi, Senator Andrew Uchendu and the alleged expulsion of Chief Hon. Victor Giadom, that is, as members of the Party in the state of Rijeka by some so-called heads of departments of the Party “, said the head of the legal service.
“We checked our records at the National Secretariat and found that these individuals were not Rivers State officials. I have therefore been instructed by the National Chairman, His Excellency Governor Mai Mala Buni, to inform you, that there may be no doubt, that the Congressional Rivers Commission of all the Progressives is headed by Hon. Isaac Abbot Ogbobula who was duly sworn in at the National Secretariat of the Party on December 11, 2020 on the basis of directives of the National Executive Committee passed at its meeting on December 8, 2020 held at the councils of Aso Rock Villa, Abuja.
“Accordingly, I would like to draw the attention of you and other party members in Rivers State to the consequences of misrepresenting both our party’s constitution and Nigerian law.
“Therefore, it is in the interest of the general public and our members in the state of Rivers to instruct me further to inform you that all actions were allegedly taken by those department heads unknown to the Party National Headquarters, and you on behalf of All Congress of Progressives are null and void.”
“From now on, the Party will not tolerate any actions that are calculated to belittle the Party leader or to make the Party ridicule for any reason.
“The Party will not hesitate to take the necessary disciplinary measures if any member of the Party in the state of Rijeka continues to take steps to represent the recognized State Transitional Committee headed by Hon. Isaac Abbot Ogbobula or any of his local government or department heads. “
Abe and Amaechi quarreled over APC business in Rijeka. Their rift worsened during the 2019 general elections.
Although the minister supported Tony Cole, co-founder of the Sahara Group, as a candidate for party governor in Rijeka, Abe fought to be the party’s leader.
As a result of a conflict of interest, Cole and Abe became candidates for governor after holding parallel congresses in the state.
The Independent National Election Commission (INEC) disqualified the party from the polls in 2019.