Two factions of APC trade tackles over suspension of rival members

...Ogbobula insists Abe, Aguma are hired agents to scatter APC, remain suspended more will follow.

… Aguma fires back, Ogbobula is an Impostor, actions are a nullity, of no effect

BY DANIEL EFE

The Igo Aguma-led faction of the All Progressives Congress, APC Rivers State loyal Senator Magnus Abe has dismissed his suspension from the party by the Isaach Ogbobula led Committee loyal to Chibuike Rotimi Amaechi yesterday as an the action an Impostor leading an aggrieved group in the party.

Amaechi.                   Abe

In a press statement signed by Livingstone Wechie, the Media Adviser to the Igo Aguma and made available to our Correspondent described the said suspension of Igo Aguma,Wogu Boms, Brave Wobo and Livingston Weche as act carried out by “an impostor  from  Rivers State and the cheerleader and Chairman of an aggrieved group within the APC.”

According to Wechie, Mr. Isaac Ogbobula who is loyal to the Transportation Minister, Rt. Hon. Rotimi Amaechi made very disrespectful and insorbodinating remarks against it’s State Acting/Caretaker Committee Chairman of the APC, Rt. Hon. Igo Aguma and other critical stakeholders in the Party, including  Senator Magnus Abe”.

The statement further alleged that Isaac Ogbobula is an “unrepentant impostor in the party and his action is an act of desperation and self help, therefore,8j he and his group do not exist in Rivers State”.

The Aguma led faction claimed that the   Ogbobula and his group are litigating up to the Supreme Court struggling to upturn the Court judgement that both dissolved his illegal Caretaker Committee and declaratorily affirmed Rt. Hon. Igo Aguma as Acting/Caretaker Committee Chairman of APC in Rivers state, which Executive is comprised by all statutory members of the party.It claims that same judgement was reinforced in another judgement of Court which dissolved and sacked the Sokonte Davies-led illegal state structure and that judgment was not Appealed. 

According to the Aguma group, the supposed suspension of key members by Ogbobula is a just “a show of extreme desperation particularly being a legal Practitioner who is in Court. It further indicates that he has no regard for judicial processes and can not wait for the Court, which he approached to determine his fate. 
It further reiterated  that “there is no order of Court anywhere restraining Rt. Hon. Igo Aguma from functioning as the Acting/Caretaker Committee Chairman of the party. The Appeal Court during a proceeding on or about the October 30, 2020 reaffirmed that it did not make any order restraining Rt. Hon. Igo Aguma from from functioning as the Chairman of the APC in Rivers state”.

The statement reaffirmed the purported earlier suspension of Isaac Ogbobula yesterday,December 19, 2020, by Ward 10 where he belongs and allegedly confirmed by his Local Government Ahoada-East Caretaker Committee and transmitted to the state Caretaker Committee, which has referred his matter to the State disciplinary Committee for action. 
“For the records, every statement or concocted declarations made by Ogbobula yesterday  in his desperation  remain invalid and of no effect”.

However, in a swift reaction, the Spokesman for the Isaac Ogbobula faction of the party,Chief Ogbonna Nwuke, and former member of the House of Representatives, who represented Etche-Omuma federal Constituency warned that the party would not tolerate acts of destabilization henceforth. 

Nwuke said in a statement issued Sunday and made available to our Correspondent  that most Rivers people were pleased with the decision of the party to recommend the expulsion of recalcitrant members.

He said the State Secretariat acted on the request of aggrieved party members  across the State who have been worried by “the actions of hired agents that are determined to encourage the destabilization of our great Party.

“We laud the leaders of our party right from the grassroots to the State level for seizing the opportunity to cut off the necks of hydra-headed snakes that have been spewing poison and hurting our members. 
“We had hoped that initiating a peace process through the able collaboration of Senators Andrew Uchendu and Wilson Ake would clear the path for understanding and cooperation. It is evident that the gesture by our members on all sides to hunt for peace was largely misconstrued.”

The spokesman claimed that the party has all along obtained credible intelligence, which shows that those who have been recommended for expulsion have become merchants sponsored from outside to sell ideas that are alien to the idealogy and spirit enunciated by the party constitution. 

“How can we fold our hands and watch ants that are eating up grains stacked up in our barn without taking steps to prevent such occurence? How can we tolerate acts of lawlessness in our midst because few persons with ambitions feel that their desire is greater than the interests of a great majority of party members?.

“‘Let it be known that the APC will no longer tolerate acts of indiscipline and destabilization. From now on, we will cleanse the Augean stable. The will of the National Secretariat of our great Party must be respected. 

Ogbonna warned that “No one comes to the nest of an eagle to say the eagle is blind. It doesn’t happen. Those who do so pay a great price. “That is what is happening to Senator Magnus Abe, Hon Igo Aguma and their co-travellers who time and time again, refused mediation and collaboration in order to promote hate and instability within the party”, the statement stressed. 

According to him,”The courts did not say Igo Aguma should remain in office in perpetuity. The pronouncement of the Port Harcourt High Court was clear. Aguma did not obey the ruling of the Court that installed him. He did not collaborate with statutory members as he was directed to do. Those who come to equity must do so with clean hands. 

“This is why the contempt charge brought against statutory members who acted in defence of party interests was struck out by the same court that he approached.”, the statement added.