From: TONY JOHN, Port Harcourt
A two-time governorship candidate in Rivers State, Prince Tonye Princewill, has declared that his recent defection to the All Progressives Congress (APC) from the Labour Party (LP) was not to contest for governorship seat in the state.
Princewill, who spoke on Tuesday, in Port Harcourt, said he defected to APC from LP to assist in reforming the opposition party and put it in a right shape.
The former LP governorship candidate further said that he left his party for the APC to join forces with men of like minds to form strong opposition in the State, and possibly wrestle power from the ruling party PDP in 2019.
Princewill, who contested for governorship in 2007, under Action Congress (AC), and in 2015 under LP platform, said that he had been out of political circulation for a long time and decided to join APC, to reform the party and inject responsible governance to the people of the State.
He said: “I moved to APC because of my love for Rivers State. I was able to join men of like mind to APC to strengthen the party and make it move forward.
” When we express our displeasure about the State, it is not political. It is borne out of the love we have for the State. I came to APC because I want the party to be strong not because of any ambition”.
“I was very angry with APC that I don’t want to do anything with them. But, in spite of the anger with APC, I have to join the party to put the governor on his toes.
“I did not join APC for any governorship ambition. I am no longer interested in governorship race . I am above that level. We should encourage the younger ones to occupy such position. I am not coming now because of governorship ambition. It is to strengthen the party”.
Speaking further on the crisis in APC, Princewill expressed optimism that the former governor of the state and Minister of Transportation, Chibuike Amaechi, the senator representing Rivers South East, Magnus Abe, and the 2015 APC governorship candidate and Director General of Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA), Dr. Dakuku Peterside, would surely settle their differences.
“There are so much talk about crisis in APC. But, I don’t think there is any crisis in the party. But, the party has to do lots of work. I have been talking to Senator Magnus Abe and Dakuku Peterside and I am very hopeful that whatever issues we have in APC will be resolved.
He further called on the people of the State to support APC, saying that the party is not crisis-ridden.