Two ACN Groups Clash Over Leadership

Two opposing groups of the Action Congress of Nigeria in Rivers State clashed on Wednesday in Port Harcourt over leadership.

The Tide was informed that the two opposing groups were struggling  over which of them controls the party in the state.

Sources informed our correspondent that the groups are loyal to the two governorship aspirants of the party, Dr. Abiye Sekibo and Dr. Itekena Michael Abel –Tariah.

It was alleged that Barrister Uche Okwukwu, the state caretaker committee chairman of of the party was  beaten  up and assaulted.

Sources claimed that Mr. Okwukwu was alleged to have attempted to connive with a group to hijack the leadership of the party.

Speaking with The Tide, the spokesman of the 23 local government chairmen of the party, Dr. Akolo Amonibia, accused the transition committee chairman, of allegedly sneaking materials for the purpose of rigging the state congress election.

Tariah also alleged that  the transition committee members wanted to impose unpopular leaders on the party members and equally ignored the 60-40 per cent sharing formula agreement between the decampee supporters of Abiye Sekibo and the old members.

He, however, advised that the chairman and the committee members should be neutral by treating all party members with utmost fairness, as anything less, would be unacceptable to the party.

Speaking, the transition chairman of the party, Barr. Okwukwu said the issue of Dr. Abiye Sekibo and others wanting to hijack the leadership of the party was not the issue in contention.

He said Sekibo had only declared intention to join the party, stressing that it was agreed that he and his supporters should be welcomed into the party so as to help the party in the state.

He said there was no time the former Transport Minister declared to run for any election in the party, describing the rumours that he and others wanted to hijack the leadership of the party as false and unfounded.

When contacted, the party gubernatorial aspirant, Dr. Itekena Michael Abel-Tariah condemned the unfair disposition of the committee led by Barr. Okwukwu in the disrupted election.

He said ACN was known as a peaceful party, advising that those who dumped the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) for the party should maintain and respect the peaceful disposition of the party and its  rules and regulations.

The gubernatorial aspirant advised that the chairman of the transition committee, Barr. Okwukwu, should return all the materials for the exercise to the national secretariat of the party pending when the issue would be resolved amicably.

Enoch Epelle