Stakeholders in Rivers State have applauded the defection of the former Deputy Governorship candidate of the African Action Congress (AAC), Chief Akpo Bomba Yeeh to the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).
The PDP National Chairman, Prince Uche Secondus described the defection as a welcome development, which will help Rivers State move forward.
He said: “This is a welcome development. This is what a normal situation is supposed to be. The people will see the reason why we must work together. This is an uncommon decision. You have taken a wise decision because you have the interest of the people at heart”.
Secondus called on INEC to bring the Rivers election to a logical conclusion, so that the people can continue with their lives.
He called on the Minister of Transportation, Chibuike Rotimi Amaechi and other persons working with him to see reason why they should stop destabilising the state and causing confusion.
Secondus called on the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to douse the tension in Rivers State by concluding all electoral processes in the state, while also advising Amaechi to allow peace to reign in Rivers State.
“I call on the INEC to as quickly as possible bring to a logical end this election and announce the result, so that the people can go back to work, so that people can live freely and move freely. There is heavy tension in Rivers State because of the inconclusive election.
“We want also to ask our brothers, who are on the other side, especially the Minister for Transportation, Rotimi Amaechi, let him find reason why he must stop to cause confusion and destabilize our state, so that the people can live happily,” the PDP national chairman added.
In his remarks, Rivers State PDP Chairman, Bro Felix Obuah said the former AAC deputy governorship candidate has searched his conscience and decided to work with the PDP to develop the state.
The AAC Governorship Candidate, Engineer Biokpomabo Awara while speaking to The Tide in a telephone interview stated that he was yet to receive Akpo Bomba Yeeh’s resignation letter, adding that his running mate never mentioned to him about his intention to resign or defect to PDP.
He said he only saw the news of his deputy’s resignation on the social media.
Speaking to newsmen in Port Harcourt, last Monday, the Director of Information and Communications of the PDP Campaign Council, Barrister Emma Okah, in a statement, said that “although the defection of Yeeh is beneficial to PDP, but does not change the fact that the PDP overwhelmingly won the March 9 Governorship election in Rivers State.”
Okah, who doubles as the Rivers State commissioner for Information and Communications, stressed that “Yeeh is a respected elder from Ogoni Kingdom, and his action by removing himself from being used to destabilize Rivers State and cause pains to the people is commendable.”
He said: “The allegation that Governor Wike gave AAC’s deputy governorship candidate (Yeeh) N200million is not correct, it is untrue and it is absolute nonsense.
“Chief Yeeh is a respected elder from Ogoni Kingdom and his action by removing himself from being used to destabilise Rivers State and cause pain to the people is commendable.
“Everything is not about money, as there are lots of good people around.
“We should commend him (Yeeh) for taking the bold and historic step, instead of calling him names.
“Future generations of our people will remember the moral lesson of his present actions”, Okah added.
The African Action Congress (AAC) Deputy Governorship Candidate in Rivers State, Akpo Bomba Yeeh has said that the huge burden on his conscience informed his decision to withdraw his candidature, resign from the party and also defect to the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).
Speaking to newsmen while announcing his resignation from the AAC, last Monday, in Port Harcourt, Yeeh further alleged that the desperate attempt by the Minister of Transportation, Chibuike Rotimi Amaechi, and the APC/AAC alliance to rig the Rivers State Governorship and House of Assembly elections against all morally acceptable standards informed his decision not to toe the path of illegality.
Yeeh said: “After due consultation with my immediate family, friends and supporters, I, Chief Akpo Bomba Yeeh, the deputy governorship candidate of the AAC for the 2019 Governorship Election, hereby resign my membership of the AAC and announce my defection to the PDP to join hands with Governor Nyesom Wike to move the state forward”.
He added: “I was the deputy governorship candidate of the AAC in Rivers State up till today, 25th March, 2019, when I decided to withdraw my candidature and resign from the party with immediate effect.”
Yeeh said: “Today, I am in your midst to declare my defection to the PDP. Governor Wike is a man of vision. He is a man of compassion. It is his compassion that endears him to the people of Rivers State. I choose to identify with him to move the state forward”.
Yeeh informed Wike that he has officially withdrawn his candidacy of AAC.
“I officially announce the withdrawal of my candidacy for the AAC. My loyalty is with the PDP. I cannot afford to leave the fast lane and go to the slow lane”, he said.
He added that as retired security personnel, he would work with Wike to promote the security of the state.
“The March 9, Governorship election in Rivers State has been lost and won; lost by my party, African Action Congress (AAC) and its candidate, Engineer Biokpomabo Awara, and undoubtedly and overwhelmingly won by the Governor of Rivers State, the candidate of PDP, Nyesom Wike”.
He said that despite the interference of the security agencies, Rivers people stood their ground and voted for Wike.
Yeeh said: “The collated results further show that contrary to the false claim of fictitious lead by the AAC/APC alliance, the PDP overwhelmingly won all the elections in 18 out of the 19 LGAs, culminating in the declaration and return of the party’s candidates for the 26 House of Assembly Constituencies by the Returning Officers.
He said that though the AAC campaign was never serious and never campaigned for the office of the position of governor of Rivers State, Amaechi during the adoption of the party, said that he would fund the elections and do everything under the sun to give AAC victory at the polls.
Yeeh said: “Amaechi disclosed to us that he had already assembled security personnel drawn from the Nigerian Army, the Police, DSS and FSARS to provide adequate security cover and enablement for members of the AAC and APC to effectively rig the governorship election and have us declared as winners on March 9, 2019”.
He stated that the adoption and promise to deliver AAC was with conditions that conferred de facto governance on the Minister of Transportation, Chibuike Rotimi Amaechi.
Yeeh outlined the conditions: “First, he (Amaechi) must be the one to appoint 90 per cent of all political office holders, including commissioners, special advisers, and chairmen and members of government agencies and parastatals.
“Second, he must be the one to nominate and produce all the 23 local government council chairmen and other principal officers of the councils.
“We, that is, Engr Awara and my humble self, must consult and take instructions from him on all financial, policy and fiscal matters, as well as award and payment of all contracts and other financial transactions upon inauguration as governor and deputy governor of the state”.
He added: “As a practicing Christian, I have come to the conclusion that the actions and desperate attempts by Amaechi and the AAC/APC alliance to rig the Governorship and State Assembly elections in Rivers State are both morally and legally wrong, reprehensible and inimical to the collective interest of the people of Rivers State.
“The Almighty God will not forgive me if I continue to lend my support to Rotimi Amaechi’s perfidy against the democratic rights of the people of Rivers State to freely elect their own leaders”.
He condemned the minister for unleashing violence on Rivers people in his failed attempt to rig the 2019 Rivers Governorship election.
The former deputy governorship candidate of AAC stated that he has informed Engr Awara in writing of his withdrawal and resignation from the governorship race and the AAC.
He showed a copy of the letter, indicating, “I write to most respectfully notify you of my resignation from the membership of the African Action Congress (AAC) with effect from today, 25 March, 2019, and subsequent defection to the Peoples Democratic Party.
He also alleged that the adoption and promise to deliver AAC was with conditions that would have made Minister for Transportation, Rotimi Amaechi, the de facto governor, as according to him, Amaechi would have been responsible for all appointments, contracts, and awards just as the government would be taking orders from the minister.
“Giving Rotimi Amaechi his unconcealed desperation to remove Nyesom Ezenwon Wike from office and install his stooge in the person of Engr Awara against all odds,” he added.
While receiving Yeeh, the Rivers State Governor, Chief Nyesom Wike declared that no one man’s interest is bigger than the state’s, declaring that all leaders must work together to move Rivers State forward.
Speaking during a solidarity visit by the former African Action Congress (AAC) Deputy Governorship Candidate, Chief Akpo Bomba Yeeh at the Government House, Port Harcourt, last Monday, Wike said history will be kind to the former AAC deputy governorship candidate for placing Rivers interest above personal consideration.
Wike received the former AAC deputy governorship candidate alongside PDP National Chairman, Prince Uche Secondus, Rivers State PDP Chairman, Bro Felix Obuah, former Rivers State Governor, Sir Celestine Omehia, Senator-elect, Barry Mpigi and other leaders of Rivers State.
Wike said: “History will be on your side. You have shown that the interest of the state is above personal consideration. God will not only protect you, He will reward you for this decision.
“Rivers State is the only state we have. Everyone must work together to move this state forward. It is important to take this state to greater heights.
“It is not everyone that can take this kind of decision. It requires maturity to take this kind of decision”.
The governor said all leaders of Rivers State irrespective of their political affiliations must work in unity to develop the state.
Wike said: “All of us must work together in order to forge ahead. No one man’s interest is bigger than that of the state”.
He welcomed the Rivers State deputy governorship candidate into PDP, noting that he will be part of the group to consolidate the development of the state.
“You are welcome to the party that will move the state forward. Those on the other side must understand that you cannot kill people, just to be in power. With this bold decision, our brothers on the other side know that the end has come”, he said.
“All of us, who are from this state, we have no other state to go to. We only have one state and that is Rivers State and so every one of us must work together to see that we move the state forward. Today, deputy governorship candidate of the opposition party having seen the circumstances and everything decided to withdraw and even defect to the Peoples Democratic Party it is not everybody that can take such a decision, it requires maturity as so many people will say a lot of things, but no doubt what you have done is for the interest of this state.”
Wike thanked the former AAC deputy governorship candidate for refusing to allow himself to be a tool for the destabilisation of the state.
Meanwhile, the Federal High Court in Abuja has adjourned the suit filed last Wednesday, by the Rivers State Governorship candidate of the AAC, Engineer Biokpomabo Awara, claiming that he was the winner of the March 9, 2019 election.
Justice Eyang Ekpo adjourned the case, last Monday, to tomorrow for hearing.