The National Chairman of the All Progressives Congress, Dr. Umar Abdullahi Ganduje, has inaugurated the newly elected members of the executive committee of the party in Rivers State.
Ganduje, who inaugurated the state executives chaired by Chief Tony Okocha in Port Harcourt on Saturday during a working visit to the state, clarifying that there is no division in the state chapter of the party.
The national chairman of the party who congratulated the newly commissioned state leaders, explained that Rivers was chosen for the Inauguration of the state executives over Abuja to show to show the party’s proximity to the people across the various wards.
Ganduje said, “No faction in Rivers APC, only one leadership is recognised led by Tony Okocha.”
“First of all, I will like to congratulate the newly elected members of our state executive committee.
“Traditionally, in the APC, the inauguration of a state chapter is usually done at the headquarters of APC in Abuja, but as part of the change that we are introducing, we decided to inaugurate these elected committee members here so to show that our party is rooted to the grassroots and to show that there is is no dichotomy between the national exco and the state exco, we are all working together hand-in-hand.
“We don’t feel reluctant to go to the wards, it is our constituency and we embrace it, we are in harmony with the states and that is why we are here, ladies and gentlemen.”
Dr. Ganduje however tasked the newly inaugurated executives to entrenched internal democracy in the party and to woo new members into the political fold.
He recalled the efforts of the party in wristing power from the grip of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP in Edo and Cross River states, saying Rivers was the next target of the party.
“Your basic responsibilities as spelt out by the constitution of our great party is to ensure that there is internal democracy, you should look for new entrants into the party, you must have very effective conflict resolution mechanism and I believe you are equal to the task.”
“You are from the South-South geopolitical zone, the zone was dominated by the PDP, but during Buhari administration, we were able to take one state, Cross River and during President Ahmed Bola Tinubu, we are able to win squarely in Edo State, out of six, we have recovered two and we are counting.
“We are seeing a sign of good riddance, Rivers State is our target, we are on the way, therefore to the APC, this is task that must be done.”
In his acceptance speech, the substantive state chairman of the APC in Rivers, Chief Tony Okocha, assured the national executives of the party that it will take over the administration of the state come 2027.
“I am in league and in liaison with my friends, members of the state executive council of the party and the teaming membership of APC in Rivers State, want to assure you that in 2027, the story will be different, APC will take place the rustrum of governance.
“The man who I am told is the Governor of Rivers State has no party and our constitution does not allow independent candidacy, therefore they hate disqualifies him first and foremost, so APC will take the rustrum, I assure you.”
(Independent)
