Stay off APC affairs in C/River ― APC chieftain tells Ameachi

FORMER governor of Rivers State and Minister of Transportation, Rotimi Amaechi have been warned to stay off the affairs of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Cross River State.

A member of the Presidential Committee on Constitution and Electoral reforms and Chieftain of the APC in Cross River, Utum Eteng who gave the warning in a statement issued in Calabar on Monday called Amaechi to concentrate on the politics of Rivers state and stop meddling in the internal matters of the APC in Cross River.

Eteng, a legal practitioner alleged that Amaechi was in the character of imposing leaders on the APC in Cross River, which he said, had caused divisions and problems in the party.

He said, “Amaechi is not from Cross River State so he should stop imposing leaders on the APC in the state. He should leave members to choose their leaders.”

“One would have passed Amaechi’s alleged interference with the APC in Cross River as mere speculations but one is reluctant to hold otherwise by reason of Amaechi’s alleged recent attempt at a meeting he summoned in his house in Abuja with selected Cross Riverians and Ex-Governor Adams Oshiomole in attendance.”

“Apart from the going which is real. It is still yet to be known whether or not some party leaders in Abuja do not use the name of Amaechi for their selfish gains. It is yet to be known why armed soldiers and policemen were released to intimidate party members at Ikom during an APC Central Senatorial district meeting convened by Cletus Obun on Sunday 28^thFebruary, 2017.”

“The unannounced agenda was whether or not the state APC Chairman should complete the 4 years term of Pastor Usani Usani before he was appointed minister should come from the district without reaching a decision, it soon became clear that the use of Amaechi’ name to favor one Etim John did not persuade party members. Soldiers and armed policemen were brought into the venue.

“If indeed the allegations that Amaechi’s pre-occupation is to interfere with the APC in Cross River State, the mind boggling question is- what is Amaechi’s real interest in Cross River after his prior over-indulgence in Cross River APC resulted in the sorry state of the party in Cross River over the years.”

“The programmed defeats of the APC at every election in Rivers state should be enough challenge to Amaechi to be worried about.”

As a concerned member, Eteng said, he had written to the National Chairman of the party, Odiegun Oyegun and other top leaders of the party at the national level to investigate Amaechi’s alleged involvement in APC state matters.

Eteng, however, called on the national leadership of the party to chart a way forward for the party in Cross River either by encouraging acting Chairman, John Ochalla to continue as Chairman in view of the pending local government elections, or as an alternative, make a conclusive statement on when the selection of a State Chairman to run the party will be done.

When the Nigerian Tribune tried to contact Amaechi’s spokesman, David Iyofor for his reaction on the matter, he was not taking his calls as of the time of filing this report.