‘No Going Back On Merger With APC’ …Deputy Speaker, Others Back Amaechi …Rivers Stakeholders Hail Decision

The Abubakar Baraje faction that last Tuesday merged with the All Progressives Congress (APC) alongside five erstwhile Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) governors has declared that there was no going back on the agreement.
According to the group, the agreement was a done deal because a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) in respect of the merger had been duly signed by the two parties.
Still smarting from the loss of five of its governors and some leading lights to the APC, the Bamanga Tukur led PDP on Thursday congratulated the merging parties for their action.
A statement by the spokesman of the Baraje group, Chukwuemeka Eze said:“the MoU between us and the APC has been duly signed by both the nPDP national chairman, Alhaji Abubakar Kawu Baraje, and the national chairman of the APC, Chief Bisi Akande. In this regard, the general public should disregard any statement from whatever source which tries to give the impression that the merger between us and APC is in danger. The truth is that the merger is waxing stronger by the day and that our resolve to save our fledgling democracy is unshakable.
“President Goodluck Jonathan and the PDP leadership should come to terms with the fact that PDP is now an opposition political party and Jonathan should start writing his handover notes as APC is fully set to take over the Aso Rock Presidential Villa in 2015 so as to give Nigerians the dividends of democracy they have been yearning for,” he added.
Eze assured PDP members in the National Assembly intending to move to the APC of security of their tenure, saying their seats were guaranteed by relevant provisions of the Nigerian Constitution and the Electoral Act.
Meanwhile, the Deputy Speaker of the Rivers State House of Assembly, Hon. Leyii Kwanee has lauded the Governor for his defection to the All Progressives Congress (APC).
In an interview with The Tide yesterday, the Deputy Speaker said the governor’s decision was in the best interest of the state pointing out that if the governor had not defected it would have been a disservice to Rivers people.
Kwanee reminded Rivers people that the governor was pushed to the wall stating that he endured all the while because the president comes from his extraction.
A chieftain of the APC in the state and former Commissioner for Special Duties, Chief Davies Ibiamu Ikanya said that Governor Amaechi and the four PDP governors who moved to APC have displayed courage, as the new party was ready to welcome them into its fold.
Chairman of Port Harcourt City Council, Hon Chimbiko Akarolo dismissed views that the development would lead to political upheavals, “there is no political dilemma in Rivers State. The decision has been taken and the leader has spoken that we need a platform to express ourselves and deliver the dividends of democracy. And APC has popped us that opportunity.”
For Chairman of Bonny Local Government Area, Barrister Edward Pepple all the local government chairmen were with the governor. He argued that the move was best for democracy.
Chairman of Degema Local Government Area, Hon Ibigoni Daddy Pokima said the move was the death knell for the PDP in Rivers State, “I’m telling you that APC is going to win this state… We will make sure that we put up our flags in the various local government areas”.
Also speaking with The Tide, the National Coordinator of Fans and Supporters of Governor Amaechi, Barrister Ibiene Amachree said they support and would continue to back Governor Chibuike Amaechi in his actions.

Pro-Chancellor of Rivers State University of Science and Technology, Hon Justice Adolphus Karibi Whyte (right), exchanging views with Prof G. O. O. Tasie, during the First RSUST Corporate Society Day, in Port Harcourt, last Tuesday. Photo: Obinna Prince Dele

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