‘I Still Remain Rivers ACN Chairman’

Amidst conflicting reports over the constitutional leadership of the Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN) in Rivers State, Barrister Uche Okwukwu has said that he remains the only elected chairman of the party.

Okwukwu who stated this on Monday, when he featured as guest of The Tide Roundtable, a weekly personality interview programme  organized by the Editorial Board of the Rivers State Newspaper Corporation (RSNC), said the decision he took on May 24th 2011 to the effect that Governor Amaechi be encouraged to continue his good works was the outcome of extensive consultations with the  executive and stakeholders of the party in the state.

He noted that the decision was based on his personal conviction and denied that he was induced or influenced with financial promises.

According to him, as a grassroot politician, I went round the 23 local government areas of Rivers State to sample opinions of people and was made to understand that the people’s choice was Governor Chibuike Rotimi Amaechi.

“The people of Rivers State wanted to give Amaechi a second chance to complete all the mega projects he started because he conceived the idea. It was on this note that  I said, those who believed in me as Uche Okwukwu, should vote for Amaechi”, he declared.

The ACN boss further declared that his role in the 24th May 2011 declaration for Amaechi could not  amount to an anti-party activity nor a betrayal but one borne out of personal conviction and genuine love for the state and  an appeal to only those who believed in him.

He, however, identified two factors as being responsible for the failure of  the ACN governorship candidate, saying that Abiye Sekibo was not needed by his people and secondly that his media consultant, Mr Jerry Needam could not manage his job effectively.

“Jerry Needam’s inability to package his boss properly,  resulted to the slip of tongue “ you will sleep with your two eyes open”, he said.

Okwukwu, however, maintained that he still remains the chairman of the ACN until the court proves  him otherwise.

“I was called a turn coat, a betrayal but Dr Abiye Sekibo withdrew his suit against Amaechi and the Rivers PDP one month after, without any consultation, who then is the betrayer”, he asked.

He said that Mr Jerry Needam is not publicity  Secretary of ACN in the State, explaining  that Mr Reason Enyi is the person officially recongnised by INEC. Mr Needam was merely the Media Consultant to Dr Abiye Sekibo ‘s campaign organization but could not carry out his functions and duties well”, he said.

He maintained that he was among the few ACN stakeholders in the state who won the general elections in his unit and ward, stressing that the governorship candidate of the party lost in his unit and ward four in Okrika Local Government Area and repeated his earlier advice the Dr Sekibo should test his popularity in the next councillorship elections.

Rivers State Commissioner for Information and Communications, Mrs Ibim Semenitari receiving a present from the General Manager, Rivers State Newspaper Corporation, Mr Celestine Ogolo, when she visited The Tide Newspapers, yesterday. Photo: Dele Obinna