Governorship aspirants of the All Progressives Congress (APC) from the Riverine extraction Monday, in Port Harcourt entered into an agreement to give their unflinching support to any of them who would emerge as the party’s governorship candidate in the 2023 election.
At a ceremony during which 10 of them each declared their interest to fly the party’s flag as its governorship standard-bearer, they all agreed to line behind whoever eventually emerged victorious at the party’s primary later in the year.
They said their position was a product of consultations and interactions among governorship aspirants of the party even though unconfirmed rumour has it that the aspirants opted for the agreement after efforts to get them to support a single candidate amongst them to fly the party’s flag in 2023.
The information available to Nigerian Tribune has it that leader of the party in the state and Minister of Transportation, Rotimi Chibuike Amaechi is favourably disposed to a riverine governor.
The communiqué was signed by all the 10 candidates who have so far indicated their interest to replace Governor Wike at the Brick House.
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The signatories include Dr Sokonte Davies, Dr Dakuku Adol Peterside, Dr Dawari I. George, Architect Tonye Cole and Prince Tonye T.J.T. Princewill. Others are Engr. Biokpomabo Awara, Chief Francis Ebenezer Ada, Hon. Mina Tende, Hon. Ojukaye Flag Amachree and Hon. Ibinabo Michael West.
They all urged one another to go about their various consultations without abusing one another.
The progressive aspirants agreed that all aspirants should go about their consultations in a peaceful and civil manner, avoiding name-calling, insults and pulling down other aspirants to gain attention as well as agreeing to caution their supporters and social aides from attacking aspirants from opposing camps.
They agreed to work in unity and support whoever emerges at the party primaries either by way of consensus or election as exemplified by the party leadership at the just concluded National Convention.
“The Progressive Aspirants called on the party leadership to ensure a level playing field for all Aspirants during the primaries to give everyone a sense of belonging, fairness and equity.
“As a way of respecting the party supremacy, the aspirants resolved that immediately a candidate emerges, all aspirants will put self and ego aside and collapse their various campaign structures into the party structure to support the flag to win the 2023 elections for APC in Rivers State.
“The Progressive Aspirants Forum call on Rivers people and residents to get their PVCs ready to vote for all APC candidates at all levels to emerge victorious in the 2023 elections,” the communique read in part.
It added: “The Progressive Aspirants agreed to consult stakeholders, elder statesmen, opinion leaders and key politicians in the state to support power rotation to the Riverine-Ijaw come 2023 as a way of ensuring equity, justice and fairness in the distribution of political offices.
“The Progressive Aspirants also affirmed their unalloyed loyalty to the President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, His Excellency, Muhammadu Buhari GCFR, and our leader, the Minister of Transportation, Rt. Hon. Chibuike Rotimi Amaechi, and commend him for his courage to declare his interest to run for the office of President in the 2023 elections.
The Progressive Aspirants Forum also commend the state leadership of the party led by Chief Emeka Beke, for keeping the party in the state together and also leading delegates to a successful convention”.
The forum called on all genuine members of the APC in Rivers State to seek reconciliation, forgiveness, close ranks and work with the leadership of the party in the state to ensure the party wins the governorship seat and other legislative offices both at the state and national level come 2023.
and then