Politics
500 APC Supporters In Rivers Defect
Ahead of 2019 general election in Rivers State, over 500 supporters of All Progressives Congress (APC) in Rumuosi in Obio/Akpor Local Government Area have defected to the Mass Action Joint Alliance Party, (MAJA).
The angry APC decampees said, they were tired of the programmes and policies of the ruling party for the past three years, noted that Nigerians, both old and young are experiencing hardship.
Receiving the defectors in Rumuosi shortly after the inauguration of Ward 15 Chapter, MAJA Chairman, in Obio/Akpor, Engr. Mathew Eze Mathew said the defectors took right decisions to better their lives and future, describing APC as a failure,
‘There is no hope and future in APC both in the state levels and in the National.
The defectors, the Chairman said, were disappointed with the leadership style of the ruling party over the years with no hope and future for the Nigerian youths.
Describing the leadership style of APC as alien to Nigerian culture, Mathew insisted that the Party would vote out APC in 2019 general election, if the youths will take the right steps by dumping the party.
He told the decampees that MAJA will give them a platform to excel and showcase their talents,and urged them to register for their Permanent Voters Card (PVC) to vote out the party come 2019 election.
Describing the PVC as an instrument of political change in the nation’s polity, Mathew said MAJA do not believe in rigging and snatching of electoral materials even as he insisted that rigging will no longer work in the 2019 poll.
Mathew who described the youths as leaders of tomorrow, called on Nigerians to key into the policies and programmes of MAJA for a positive change, noting that the party is basically registered to reform the nation economy and repositioned youths in their right places.
MAJA, he said, needs a grass root politician who will lead the country to the promise land, than arming the helpless youths with guns and drugs to cause political violence in our polity.
He urged Rivers youths, irrespective of their party affiliations to shun cultism and other social vices, adding that cultism does not pay, but ruins the lives of the youths.
Earlier in his speech, Elder Kingsley Wobo Wali assured the decampees that MAJA will not betrayed them, but give them a level playing ground come 2019 poll.
Wali who expressed happiness for the defectors to join MAJA said, Nigerians are tired of negative changes in our polity and need a party like MAJA to reform the nation for better.
He appealed to the decampees to register and get their PVC to enable them participate in the 2019 election, saying that the PVC is their bargaining power and choice of whom to govern them in the next election.
Wali urged Rivers youths to desist from involving in electoral violence and hijacking of ballot boxes during and after election, but embrace positive change, peace and unity as future leaders of our great country.
Chinedu Wosu,
The former two-term governor went down memory lane to recall how they founded the APC but were used and dumped.
In his words, “…those calling on us to join APC, we have agreed to join the APC but on clear agreement that protects and respects the interest of my party, NNPP and my political movement, Kwankwasiyya. No state where you go that you don’t have NNPP and Kwankwasiyya. We have gubernatorial candidates, senatorial candidates and others.
“We are ready to join APC under strong conditions and promises. We will not allow anyone to use us and later dump us.
“We were among the founding fathers of the APC and endured significant persecution from various security agencies while challenging the previous administration.
“Yet when the party assumed power, we received no recognition or appreciation for our sacrifices, simply because we didn’t originate from their original faction.
“We are not in a hurry to leave the NNPP; we are enjoying and have peace of mind. But if some want a political alliance that would not disappoint us like in the past, we are open to an alliance. Even if it is the PDP that realised their mistakes, let’s enter an agreement that will be made public,” Sen. Kwankwaso stated.
Former President Olusegun Obasanjo has dismissed long-standing claims that he once sought to extend his tenure in office, insisting he never pursued a third term.
Speaking at the Democracy Dialogue organised by the Goodluck Jonathan Foundation in Accra, Ghana, Chief Obasanjo said there is no Nigerian, living or dead, who can truthfully claim he solicited support for a third term agenda.
“I’m not a fool. If I wanted a third term, I know how to go about it. And there is no Nigerian, dead or alive, that would say I called him and told him I wanted a third term,” the former president declared.
Chief Obasanjo argued that he had proven his ability to secure difficult national goals, citing Nigeria’s debt relief during his administration as a much greater challenge than any third term ambition.
“I keep telling them that if I could get debt relief, which was more difficult than getting a third term, then if I wanted a third term, I would have got it too,” he said.
He further cautioned against leaders who overstay in power, stressing that the belief in one’s indispensability is a “sin against God.”
On his part, former President Goodluck Jonathan said any leader who failed to perform would be voted out of office if proper elections were conducted.
Describing electoral manipulation as one of the biggest threats to democracy in Africa, he said unless stakeholders come together to rethink and reform democracy, it may collapse in Africa.
He added that leaders must commit to the kind of democracy that guarantees a great future for the children where their voices matter.
He said: “Democracy in Africa continent is going through a period of strain and risk collapse unless stakeholders came together to rethink and reform it. Electoral manipulation remains one of the biggest threats in Africa.
“We in Africa must begin to look at our democracy and rethink it in a way that works well for us and our people. One of the problems is our electoral system. People manipulate the process to remain in power by all means.
“If we had proper elections, a leader who fails to perform would be voted out. But in our case, people use the system to perpetuate themselves even when the people don’t want them.
“Our people want to enjoy their freedoms. They want their votes to count during elections. They want equitable representation and inclusivity. They want good education. Our people want security. They want access to good healthcare. They want jobs. They want dignity. When leaders fail to meet these basic needs, the people become disillusioned.”
The dialogue was also attended by the President of the ECOWAS Commission, Dr. Omar Touray, Bishop Matthew Hassan Kukah of the Sokoto diocese of Catholic Church among others who all stressed that democracy in Africa must go beyond elections to include accountability, service, and discipline.
The Rivers State House of Assembly yesterday resumed plenary session after a six-month state of emergency imposed on the state by President Bola Tinubu elapsed on Wednesday midnight.
President Bola Tinubu had lifted the emergency rule on September 17, with the Governor of the state, Siminalayi Fubara, his deputy, Ngozi Odu, and members of the state assembly asked to resume duties on September 18.
The plenary was presided over by the Speaker of the House, Martins Amaewhule, at the conference hall located within the legislative quarters in Port Harcourt, the state capital.
The conference hall has served as the lawmakers’ temporary chamber since their official chamber at the assembly complex on Moscow Road was torched and later pulled down by the state government.
The outgone sole administrator of the state, Ibok-Ete Ibas, could not complete the reconstruction of the assembly complex as promised.
Recall that on March 18, President Bola Tinubu declared a state of emergency in Rivers following the prolonged political standoff between Fubara and members of the House of Assembly loyal to the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike.
He subsequently suspended the governor, his deputy, Ngozi Odu, and lawmakers for six months and installed a sole administrator, Vice Admiral Ibok-Ete Ibas (rtd.), to manage the state’s affairs.
The decision sparked widespread controversy, with critics accusing the president of breaching the Constitution.
However, others hailed the move as a necessary and pragmatic step.