In a statement released to the press in Port Harcourt on Wednesday, Abe, who was a senator in the last session of the National Assembly, urged party members “to come together, summon courage and be willing to revive the fortunes of the party in Rivers State.”
He said what the party needs was “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.”
The court presided over by George Omereji, had declared Igo Aguma, a former Attorney General of Rivers State as the Chairman of the Caretaker Committee of the party in the state. The court also validated the right of all those that bought forms to participate in the party’s 2018 cancelled congresses to participate the next congresses of the party in the state.
“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 (APC) in Rivers State on a sound footing,” he said.
The judgment has however been faulted by the faction of the party loyal to Rotimi Amaechi, the Minister of Transportation, which however said it would appeal.
APC had lost its chance to participate in the 2019 general elections after the courts barred its candidates on the premise that the congresses that produced them were invalid.
But Abe wondered how Tuesday’s judgment that he said reaffirmed the right and responsibility of all major stakeholders in the party to come together for the sake of the party could be termed bad for the APC.
“How can a judgment 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?”
“These judgments are a soothing balm that deliver on these expectations and I thank the judiciary for their courage in standing by the truth 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 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”.
Abe however called on Aguma to reach out to all party members desirous of repositioning the party. “The judgment is a Victory for justice. It is a Victory for the APC. It is time to move forward”.
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