A chieftain of the All Progressives Congress and immediate past senator representing Rivers South-East in the National Assembly, Magnus Abe, has called on the party in the state to move forward.
Abe, who is currently a member of the board of the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation, NNPC, said the party must come together to hold a congress that will leave no one out.
He was reacting to two separate judgements of a Rivers State High Court on Tuesday which recognised Igo Aguma as the Caretaker Committee Chairman of the party.
Justice George Omereji also ruled that those who bought forms to contest in various positions during the botched congress of 2018 should not buy another form but allowed to contest in the upcoming congress.
According to Abe: “I have reviewed the judgements of the High Court of Rivers State delivered yesterday. In one case the court in its wisdom upheld the argument of a statutory member of the State Executive Committee, Chief Hon Igo Aguma, that it was unconstitutional to appoint some unknown characters to lead the party when there are statutory members of the State Executive Committee of the party in office.
“In the second suit, party members who went up to the Supreme Court to contest their right to participate in the party’s congresses simply went back to the court that the judgement of the Supreme Court that recognized their right to participate in the congresses be established by the court.
“In essence these prayers are the substance of the reliefs granted by the court. In the peculiar situation in which our party has found itself in Rivers State, these pronouncements offer us a unique opportunity to come together and put the All Progressives Congress in Rivers state on a sound footing.
“How can a judgement that reaffirms the right and responsibility of all major stakeholders in the party to come together for the sake of the party be bad for the APC?
“How can a judgement that redresses a grave injustice and heals the grievous crime of exclusion that was inflicted on over 19,000 (nineteen thousand) party faithful across the state be bad for our party?
“The only thing wrong with the judgement is that it failed to massage the ego of any individual. What the party needs in Rivers State is healing for those who have been hurt, justice for those who were deprived and inclusion for all stakeholders who were excluded from the party for no reason other than the fact that they hold a different opinion. These judgements are a soothing balm that delivers on these expectations.
“I thank the judiciary for their courage in standing by the truth and delivering justice even in very difficult circumstances.
“The party must now move forward, it is time for us to come together and hold congresses that will leave no one out, and re-establish not just structures but hope and confidence in our party.
“We must all be ready to work with each other and work with other stakeholders including chief Igo Aguma. Chief Aguma is eminently qualified to lead other statutory stakeholders in the State Executive Committee, he was bold enough to challenge a Caretaker Committee that was composed of unknown persons and reflected neither the inputs of other stakeholders nor the political realities on ground in the state.
“He is entitled to the fruits of his victory, in any case, he is one out of twenty-seven but he is one of us and known to all of us.
“My advice to Chief Aguma is simple, harbor no personal or hidden agenda, reach out to all persons of consequence in the party who are desirous of repositioning the party, but summon the courage to move on if people do not desire to be part of the rebuilding of the party, none of us can be bigger than the party.
“I salute the courage and resilience of all members of our great party, this is the time for us to summon the courage and revive our fortunes. The judgement is a victory for justice. It is a Victory for the APC. It is time to move forward”.
