Monday the 21st of May, 2018 to every other politician in Rivers state was a day filled with tension and expectations on whether the All Progressive Congress-APC Rivers state chapter would maneuver the legal logjam placed on it by one of the Governorship aspirants senator Magnus Ngei Abe and his supporters who went to State High court and obtained interlocutory injunction stopping APC from conducting its May 5th Wards congresses in 319 wards in Rivers state.
It was in view of the protest by Senator Magnus Abe that led to the late hour cancellation on Friday 18th May, 2018 and issuance of order by the National Working Committee for each ward to re-conduct the Ward Congresses on Saturday 19th and Local Government Area Congresses on Sunday 20th May while state Congress was rescheduled on Monday 21st of May, 2018. To many the leader of APC in Rivers state who is Chibuike Rotimi Amaechi was in town to organize his fellow party faithful in making sure that the debacle of the law does not catch up with the plans already laid down to remedy and render senator Abe’s legal tussle inefficient and ineffective. First the choice of the weekend abrupt rescheduling of the Wards and LGA and State Congresses seemed to be realpolitik creation of the leader of the party in the state Chibuike Rotimi Amaechi. This was done to avert senator Abe from rushing back to court to obtain another injunction against the newly ordered Wards, LGAs and state congresses and he succeeded in that act of being a smart politician.
The result of that political move raised up further agitations by Senator Abe’s group who withdrew from the exercise citing the existing court injunction. Still in control of the party machinery in Rivers state Chibuike Rotimi Amaechi had all his loyalists returned into political leadership positions as delegates from the wards, with 5 members elected to the Local Governments Congress 2 members to be elected delegates to the state congress whereas every other elected delegates ultimately qualify as delegates. This is a smart move scored by Amaechi who on Monday 21st of May, 2018 even though he was in town never showed up at Elekahia Tall Hall venue of the state Congress as by 7.00am the entire arena was filled with accredited delegates and by 7:30 am to 8:15am the business of electing new Rivers state APC officers were concluded as the former Chairman of the party in the state Dr. Davies Ibiamu Ikyana bowed out to a young vibrant agile Honourable Ojukaiye Flag Amachree a two term elected Chairman of Asari Toru Local Government Area and a former Youth Leader emerged with other elected executives of the political party in Rivers state. Emeka Bekee the Secretary retained his positioned as well as chief Chris Finebone who re-emerged as Publicity secretary among others through Voice votes. To give the process legitimacy National Officers of APC from Abuja were present including Chairman of the State Congress Committee Mr James Majit who said after the conduct of the State Congress that “I am happy for your peaceful conduct. The Congress, from the accreditation to the election, was in accordance with the laid down rules and guidelines of the party. I encourage you not to relent in the task of taking the party to the next level, especially in producing an APC Governor in Rivers state in 2019.”
For the newly elected Rivers State Chairman of All Progressive Congress-APC Ojukaiye Flag Amachree there is need to heal the wounds of discord and unite the party to fight the common battle of unseating PDP from occupying Government House Port Harcourt. Honourable Amachree told his teeming supporters that he would like to sit down with all those whose views are not in consonant with the new direction of the party in the state. While it was reported that Barrister Wogu Boms a former Commissioner for Justice and Attorney General during ex Governor Amaechi’s administration opined that APC has no right to conduct fresh Congresses in Rivers state as the Court Order issued by Justice Chikwendu Nwogu had not been vacated.
But the Rivers state Police Command had on Wednesday 23rd of May, 2018 issued Press Release which was advertised on page 26 of THE NATION newspaper titled “REFUTAL OF THE RIVERS STATE GOVERNMENT ADVERTORIAL RE: INEC ELETION REPORT THE STORY OF AKIN FAKOREDE IN RIVERS STATE”