Daniel Efe/Port Harcourt
An Ogoni Environmental Rights Activist and Chieftain of Rivers All Progressives Congress APC, Celestine AkpoBari, has left politics and resigned from the party.
In a terse statement he issued in Port Harcourt, earlier on Wednesday, a Chieftain of Rivers APC debunked reports that his decision to leave politics had something to do with current upheavals in APC. Rather he stated that his latest decision was to enable him focus on his primary occupation, being to fight for human and environmental rights, and focus on his academics.
According to a press statement signed on his behalf by Beke Anyalemechi, “I had contemplated for sometimes, to leave politics and face squarely my human rights activism, and also push forward my academics. Continuing to combine them with politics was doing serious injury to my passion for people’s rights and the wellbeing of our environment.”
He said his hunger to  further his studies in pursue of his chosen field suffered intolerable hiccups that I could no longer accept. He said his decision to act now should not be interpreted in partisan prism.Â
“My commitment to human and environmental rights, and my education remain the core driving force in reaching this decision. So, it has nothing to do with APC or any other party. And it takes immediate effect.”
Comrade AkpoBari, who had communicated his decision to the leadership of his former party, APC, wished them well, saying that though it was a “hard decision to reach”, he averred that it was the best thing to do at this time.”