Why We Can’t Suspend Amaechi For Anti-Party Activities Like Okorocha – APC

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While Nigeria’s ruling party handed an indefinite suspension
on Rochas Okorocha for supporting the governorship candidate of another
party, it has not applied the same sanction on Rotimi Amaechi for doing
something similar.

The APC, however, justifies its action, saying the issues of the two officials, though similar, are different.

In
Imo, Mr Okorocha backed Uche Nwosu of the Action Alliance against Hope
Uzodinma of the APC. Both candidates, however, lost to Emeka Ihedioha of
the PDP.

In Rivers, the Supreme Court barred the Independent
National Electoral Commission (INEC) from accepting candidates from the
APC because of internal wrangling between two factions of the party. One
APC faction in Rivers is loyal to the Minister of Transportation, Mr
Amaechi, and another loyal to Magnus Abe, a senator.

While the
APC headquarters in Abuja recognised Mr Amaechi’s faction, Mr Abe’s
appealed the decision in court which eventually led to the Supreme Court
decision.

When the APC realised its legal challenge to its
disqualification by INEC had reached a dead end, Mr Amaechi urged party
loyalists in Rivers to vote for the candidate of the African Action
Congress (AAC), Biokpomabo Awara.

The AAC was unknown to many state residents until days to the election.

APC reacts

Speaking
on its decision not to suspend Mr Amaechi, the National Publicity
Secretary of the party, Lanre Issa-Onilu, said that the minister had not
engaged in any anti-party activities.

He disclosed this Wednesday at an interactive session with reporters in Abuja.

“Though
the APC does not have governorship candidate in Rivers, the people of
the state were very important to the party,” he said.

“Whatever
has happened in Rivers, and whatever Rotimi Amaechi has done, is
completely normal and acceptable to this party,” the official said.

“If
we have the opportunity of working with a party that will abide by our
principles, it is within our right to work with such a party to ensure
that we free the people of Rivers from hardship.”

Okorocha Remains Suspended

Mr
Okorocha, the outgoing governor of Imo State and Governor Ibikunle
Amosun of Ogun State were suspended by the APC two days after President
Muhammadu Buhari was announced the winner of February 23 Presidential
polls.

PREMIUM TIMES reported how the National Working Committee
(NWC) of the APC suspended the two governors for anti-party activities
after a meeting.

The two governors were suspended for backing governorship candidates of other parties.

Mr
Amosun backed Adekunle Akinlade, the governorship candidate of the
Allied Peoples Movement (APM) against APC’s Dapo Abiodun while Mr
Okorocha supported his son-in-law, Mr Nwosu, against Mr Uzodinma of the
APC.

While the APC still won the Ogun governorship election, it lost that of Imo to its main opposition, PDP.

On
Wednesday, Mr Issa-Onilu reiterated that Mr Okorocha remains suspended
from the APC and the party would not intervene in his dispute with INEC
over Mr Okorocha’s senatorial election.

Rivers Election

The
collation of results and other activities for Rivers State governorship
and other state parliamentary elections was suspended on March 10
following widespread report of violence and other forms of intimidation
that prevented electoral officers from seamlessly performing their
roles.

The commission said Nigerian soldiers and armed gangs
contributed to the charged atmosphere that made it difficult for
electoral officers to continue with collation at the state INEC
headquarters in Port Harcourt, the state capital, prompting the
suspension of all electoral processes on March 10.

The
postponement drove a wedge between major political parties and INEC,
with the Peoples Democratic Party and the APC warning against subversion
of the people’s will at the ballot box.

INEC has fixed the continuation of the collation and announcement of results in Rivers between April 2 and 5.

Supplementary elections will take place on April 13 in local government areas where elections could not hold.

The commission said it will hold security meeting in Rivers State on March 29.

Source:- Premiumtimesng

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