Politics
Rivers APC Resorts To Blackmail, Falsehood – Rivers Patriots
As Nigerians who were hoodwinked to vote for the All Progressives Congress (APC), in 2015 become restives because of their unfulfilled electoral promises and manifest incompetence, the Coalition of Rivers Patriots says the party especially in Rivers State is resorting to dubious predictions, blackmail and more falsehood against reality and self deception.
In a statement signed by the Publicity Secretary, Barr. Barilede Thompson, the Coalition of Rivers Patriots said Nigerians no longer have confidence in the APC, and that the party is on its way out of power at the centre.
It regretted that Nigerians, who are pained that the APC has put the nation’s development on the reverse gear in the last two years, failing in all fronts, as well as setting new records of governance by proxy.
The groups further maintained that Nigerians are now wiser, having realised that APC do not have a credible road map to take Nigeria to greater heights.
It described as laughable a press statement issued by the APC in the state, showcasing as usual its traditional hallucination, but rechristened as prediction, that Governor Ezenwo Wike of Rivers State is destroying the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, at state and federal levels.
The Patriots said Rivers people have not forgotten in a hurry how Senator Magnus Abe and other APC chieftains in Rivers almost set the state on fire a couple of days ago because of the party’s fraudulent non – elective congress, but for the intervention of the police in the state, dismissing the APC as a balkanised party, lacking in credibility.
The group contends that the lies that brought APC to power can no longer sustain them in office, as disappointed Nigerians are now rooting for the PDP, having realized that it is a better platform for the transformation of Nigeria.
The Patriots recalled how former Governor, Rotimi Amaechi destroyed governance in Rivers State by not only selling off valued assets of the state, but by mismanaging the proceeds, insisting that the Rivers State Government had no option than to prosecute him and his collaborators.
The group advised Amaechi to prove his innocence in court if he strongly feels that the documents being used to prosecute him are forged, adding that no amount of blackmail will stop the state government from going ahead to ensure that those who betrayed the trust of Rivers people do not go unpunished.
It stated that while Amaechi inherited a robust state, he left behind an empty treasury for his Wike who he had boasted will not be able to pay salaries.
The group expressed joy that Wike, right from his inaugural, began to roll out plans, programmes and policies that quickly reversed the enormous damage done by Amaechi and his co-travellers, restoring the glory of the state which is now playing host to visitors and investors from all over the world.
Among the steps that Governor Wike took to right the wrongs of former Governor Ameachi and restore the confidence of Rivers people in government, according to the Patriots included the opening of courts that were shut by Amaechi for more than one year, restoration of the dignity of the legislature and payment of arrears owed civil servants, as well as the reconstruction of all the abandoned roads in the state.
“APC in Rivers can only be advised to embrace Governor Wike to increase the tempo of infrastructural development in the state as that is the only option open to them rather than resort to cheap blackmail, given the fact that he has shown that he has the capacity and capability to run the affairs of the state and promote inter ethnic harmony for the benefit of the people of the state”, the Patriots emphasised.
Victor Tew
The Tide source reports that Prof. Akinoso was elected alongside 38 other executive members of the party at the congress held on Saturday.
Other executive members are Dr Abiola Olaonipekun, who emerged as Secretary, Alhaja Latifah Latifu, Women Leader and Mr A. Adeleke, elected as Youth Leader.
It was learnt that the congress, which took place at the Obafemi Awolowo Stadium, Oke Ado in Ibadan, was attended by representatives of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), the Police, other security agencies and prominent members of the party.
The election was supervised by electoral committee members, among whom were Prince Diran Odeyemi, who served as Chairman, Hon. Awoniyi Tolulope, Mr Babatunde Gbadamosi, Queen Stepheine Oyechere, Alhaji Yusuf Abidakun, Mr Olumide Aguda and Dr Phillips Adeniyi, who served as Secretary.
Prof. Akinoso, in his inaugural address, urged members of the party to set aside intra-party differences.
He advised them to concentrate their resources on the promotion of the party, saying, “The primary responsibilities of party executive members are to coordinate party activities, ensure harmony among members, and ensure party victory during general elections.
“Our immediate assignments are to key into INEC released 2027 general election time-tables. As directed by the National Caretaker Committee of PDP, our party e-membership registration starts next week. We must be fully involved and do a membership drive.
“A political party is only relevant and benefits its members if it wins the election. This is our goal. We should set aside intra-party differences; concentrate our resources towards the promotion of the party. We will make necessary consultations and dialogue to actualise this”.
President Tinubu disclosed this during an interfaith breaking of fast with senior journalists and media executives at the Presidential Villa in Abuja on Saturday.
He also disclosed that his administration had opened up on the principles of true federalism to the extent that local governments now get direct allocation from the Federal Government.
“There’s no morning that I ever leave my house without going through the newspapers. It’s an addiction. I read all of you.
“It might not be in full detail, but headline, the one that would hit me and the ones that won’t.
“At the beginning of this administration, I was just a little bit stubborn, looking at opportunities to correct things and make life more easier for the downtrodden.
“We’ve opened up the principle of federalism to the extent that local governments are now getting their money, but how they use it is in your hands. So, don’t bombard me alone,” President Tinubu said.
The ruling party said the ADC had turned criticism of the APC-led administration into its operating manifesto instead of presenting concrete solutions to Nigeria’s economic challenges.
In a statement issued on Saturday by the APC National Publicity Secretary, Mr Felix Morka, the party dismissed the ADC’s interpretation of a report presented at a policy dialogue organised by Agora Policy which suggested that the country’s poverty rate had risen from 49 per cent to 63 per cent.
Mr Morka said the opposition party’s reaction to the report as a “damning verdict” on the government’s economic policies reflected either ignorance of economic realities or deliberate political mischief.
“The African Democratic Congress’ attempt to spin a recent report presented at the Agora Policy dialogue indicating a rise of poverty rate of 63 per cent from 49 per cent as a damning verdict on this administration’s economic policies speaks either to its shocking ignorance of economic policy or its wilful blindness to the justification for, and transformative impacts of, ongoing economic reforms,” he said.
The APC spokesman noted that the report itself recognised the necessity of reforms aimed at correcting long-standing structural distortions in the economy.
According to him, the ADC had failed to present any credible alternative policy direction for Nigerians.
“Clearly, the ADC does not recognise itself as a political party. The ADC has not articulated a single alternative policy position or prescription of benefit to Nigerians. Condemning the APC and its policies has become its operating manifesto,” Mr Morka said.
He explained that major economic decisions taken by President Bola Tinubu, including the removal of fuel subsidy and the unification of multiple foreign exchange windows, were necessary steps to rescue the country’s economy from collapse.
Mr Morka said the subsidy regime had for years placed a heavy burden on public finances, consuming trillions of naira annually while encouraging corruption, fuel smuggling and inefficiencies in the system.
He added that the reforms had helped redirect national resources to key sectors such as infrastructure, healthcare, education and social development.
The APC spokesman acknowledged that economic reforms often come with short-term hardship but stressed that the measures were essential to build a stronger and more resilient economy.
“Economic reform is never cost-free anywhere in the world. The transient hardship experienced by Nigerians was an inevitable cost of reforms meant to build and guarantee a better future for all Nigerians,” he said.
Mr Morka maintained that the country’s economic outlook was already improving, citing recent growth figures and stronger external reserves.
“Our economy has rebounded and is expanding steadily. The country’s Gross Domestic Product grew by 4.4 per cent last year and is projected to expand by 5.5 per cent this fiscal year, with foreign reserves now exceeding $50 billion,” he stated.
He also pointed to government initiatives designed to cushion the effects of economic adjustments on citizens, including cash transfer programmes, student loan schemes and the rollout of compressed natural gas (CNG) initiatives to reduce transportation costs.
Mr Morka reaffirmed that the APC-led administration would remain focused on rebuilding the economy and expanding social investments to support vulnerable Nigerians.
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