Former Rivers State secretary of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Emeka Beke, has emerged chairman of the party in Rivers State.
Beke, an ally of the Minister of Transportation, Rotimi Amaechi, emerged as the preferred candidate according to votes cast by delegates.
He emerged victorious with 1,575 votes against his opponents, Chizi Nyeomasila, who scored eight votes and Japhet Ogbueri with 0 votes, while 32 ballots were voided.
Declaring the results, Rivers APC Congress Screening Committee, Dr Abubakar Idris, announced that Beke met all the requirements and therefore pronounced him elected.
In his remarks, the chairman-elect thanked Amaechi and his team as he promised to guarantee unity and teamwork while ensuring that the party wins at the polls in 2023.
“Let me thank our team from Abuja and INEC that has been here since morning.
“Let me sincerely from the bottom of my heart thank our leader, the Rt honourable Rotimi Amaechi Amaechi and his team,” he said.
Meanwhile, Golden Chioma, who made a last-minute decision to dump the chairmanship race, expressed dissatisfaction with the outcome of the exercise.
According to the former state lawmaker, “I think the congress is not right at this point.
“We have also complained to the National Secretariat of our great party that there was no ward congress in Rivers, and I am of the opinion that you cannot put something on nothing and expect it to stand.
“Since there was no ward congress in Rivers, there can’t be a valid state congress for the state. I and others petitioned the National Secretariat that people have hijacked the ward congress in the state.
“The party then stated how things should be resolved. Those things were not resolved. A faction hacked everything. We petitioned the National Secretariat and a delegation was sent to verify our petition.
“They found out that our petition and complaints were genuine and right. So, we are waiting for the National Secretariat to take a position on that. It will be foolhardy, having complained ahead, to participate in the state congress,” he said.
Meanwhile, Sam Etete Gwom was elected as State Secretary, Chris Finebone as Publicity Secretary, while Beatrice Amoubi emerged women leader of the party.
