From TONY JOHN, Port Harcourt
All Progressives Congress (APC) in Rivers State has sworn in its state, local and ward executives, vowing that it would clear all elective seats in 2023 polls.
This followed the decision of the National Executive Council (NEC) of the party, which dissolved all structures of the party at the state and local governments, ward and unit levels.
The national body of the party had upon the decision inaugurated Mr. Isaac Abbot-Ogbobula, to head the leadership of the party in Rivers State on caretaker basis, with a charge to inaugurate new leaders at the state level, LGAs and wards.
Speaking after the inauguration of other state party executives and the local government chairmen for the 23 LGAs in Port Harcourt yesterday, the Caretaker Committee Chairman of the party, Isaac Abbot-Ogbobula, said that the decision of the party has brought to an end all legal issues against the leadership of the party in the state.
Abbot-Ogbobula maintained that there was no longer crisis in Rivers APC, claiming that the likes of Hon. Igo Aguma were inconsequential to the party in the state.
He congratulated the executive of the state, LGAs and those to be chosen at the ward level on their appointment, tasking them to ensure that they work to make APC the party to beat in 2023.
The APC Chairman charged the new executives, saying: “The leadership and State Executive Committee of our party, congratulate you on your emergence. I urge you to abide by the provisions of the Constitution of this party in the discharge of your duty.
“Ensure you are firm and do not carry out your duties with favour or prejudice on any member of the party. You are required, directed and mandated to go back today to your LGAs and swear in caretakers committees of the LGAs”, he charged.
Abbot-Ogbobula, while addressing the media after the inauguration of the state and local government executives maintained that the decision of the party has ended all crisis in the party.
He said the leaders of the party at every level were fresh and are positioned to rebuilding the party for efficiency ahead of 2023.
He said: “The leadership of the All Progressives Congress has dissolved all the structures of the party at the state, local government, ward and unit levels.
“In that meeting they extended the mandate of the national caretaker committee led my His Excellency, Buni. Thereafter, they reconstituted brand new Caretaker Committees in the 36 states including FCT, Abuja.
“It is a fresh and new mandate. It is completely a new caretaker Committee. You will see that the state caretaker committee, we inaugurated a full executive order than the five we have had before. Thereafter we inaugurated excos of the 23 local government areas of the state. They inturn are going now to inaugurate those of the local government”, Abbot-Ogbobula stated.
He said the party would win all the elections it would take party subsequently, adding that the party rightly chose individuals who have capacity to work for the party.
“There is no crisis in APC Rivers State. We are together under the leadership of Rt. Hon. Chibuike Amaechi. We have disagreements here and there but we don’t have crisis. We have just one APC in Rivers State and one APC in Nigeria.
“The party will take over the Rivers State Government House, the Brick House in 2023. The APC will produce the next president of the country come 2023. Igo Aguma is inconsequential. There is no faction in APC.
“The chairmen we have in the 23 LGA have the capacity to take this party to the next level. They have the capacity to deliver the party in any election we participate in, especially, the 2023 governorship, House of Assembly, and presidential elections”, he added.
Responding on behalf of the inaugurated chairmen of the LGAs, Chuks Iwori promised that the new leaders of the local government areas would deliver on the tasks ahead of them.
A chieftain of the party, Senator Andrew Uchendu, in his goodwill message to the new party leadership in the state, tasked the committee to be diligent in the discharge of duties left in theirs cares.