A chieftain of the All Progressives Congress and former National Publicity Secretary of the defunct New Peoples Democratic Party (nPDP), Chief Eze Chukwuemeka Eze, has described the new Chairman of the APC in the State, Hon. Igo Aguma, as Governor Nyesom Wike’s lackey.
Recall that in a similar reaction, a former governorship candidate in the State, Dr. Dakuku Peterside, had lamented that the crises rocking the party are caused by the interference of non-party members in the current government who are poised to see the APC in comatose.
Justice Omereji of the High Court in Port Harcourt had during the week delivered judgement on two matters relating to the Rivers APC crisis.
Dele Moses and 9 others had approached the court to declare them authentic candidates for the party’s congresses in the state while Aguma, on the other hand had approached the court, challenging the composition of the caretaker committee.
However, the judge declared a former House of Reps member, Aguma as the party’s authentic Chairman.
Justice Omereji also granted all prayers of Dele Moses & Ors., to the effect that only those who bought forms to contest in the 2018 congresses of the APC in the state should be allowed to participate in any fresh congresses whenever it is rescheduled.
This means that interested party members wishing to vie for any position are barred from doing so, a decision which Eze said is a rape on the constitutional right of members.
Eze described Aguma as Wike’s ardent ally, saying that the judgement is a manifestation of a clandestine attempt and satanic collaboration to sniff life off the APC in the state by leaving it in perpetual crisis.
This was contained in statement he signed and made available to DAILY POST on Friday, adding that the judgement may have been displayed on the judge’s shelf and subsequently handed in favour of Aguma.
Expressing shock over the ruling, Eze wondered where Omereji derived the powers to override not just the APC but the Nigerian Constitution to declare Aguma Chairman of Rivers APC against the wishes of stakeholders members.
The statement further reads: “that Igo Aguma’s latest onslaught against the leader of the All Progressives Congress in Rivers State, the Rt. Hon. Chibuike Rotimi Amaechi, who has been of immense help to him and members of his family speak volume of his kind of person.
“We know as a fact that the Hon. Minister for Transportation has favoured Igo Aguma in the areas of political appointments, contracts, and financial support than the rest of us in the Port Harcourt Local Government.
“It, therefore, beats our imagination that the same lgo Aguma will unleash such manner of attack(s) on his benefactor on the pages of Newspapers. To this end, we remind him of the old saying that “it is unethical to bite the finger that feeds one.”
The party Chief noted that Aguma’s success in politics was made possible by Amaechi, who appointed him (Aguma) Commissioner of Sports, else Aguma had no place in politics.
Eze queried the basis on which the court imposed who he described as an ostracized Aguma as the Sole Administrator of a party which membership he has lost haven allegedly connived with the opposition to implement the agenda of the Peoples Democratic Party and some external forces that feel that Amaechi is a threat to their 2023 Presidential aspiration.
“It becomes sad that Justice George Omereji who is expected to retire from the Bench in few days time should be used to deliever such a hatchet job of imposing a disowned member of the party as the Sole Administrator of the party in a State like Rivers,” he added.
“This judgement is not only strange, unconstitutional, horrific and satanic but also a miscarriage of Justice and therefore unacceptable as it is unheard of in a democratic setting.
“The court judgement of 9th June, 2020 is a miscarriage of justice and against all known norms of natural justice and that it will not stand because an imposter can not lead the State chapter in any form”. Eze said.
“I am a strong believer in natural justice which is supreme, I wish to urge all and sundry not to be bothered of all these gangups as it will amount to a hoarse. It is just matter of time.”
Eze assured party faithful to remain calm as this ‘setback’ will assist to strengthen the party to forge ahead in its vision of not only reclaiming the State come 2023 but to bring hope and sanity to governance in Rivers State.
“The plan to use Aguma to install a stooge to succeed you to continue the enslavement, impoverishment and underdevelopment of Rivers State and her people has backfired and will certainly not hold water.”
Eze accepted the mandate of the court that the party should allow members of the party loyal to Senator Magnus Abe, who purchased form for the congresses of the party in 2018, to take part in the congresses whenever it will be held but disagreed over the denial of interested members to vie for offices, stressing that it negates the rule of equity, equality and natural justice.