A political pressure group in the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Rivers State, has rejected calls for the expulsion of the immediate past Senator representing Rivers South-East Senatorial District in the National Assembly, Magnus Ngei Abe, from the party.
It described the recent protest staged at the national headquarters of the APC by some members of the party in Rivers State, demanding for Abe’s sack if he fails to withdraw a suit stopping the conduct of congresses in the state, as mischievous and misguided.
Director-General of Freedom House, campaign organization of Senator Magnus Abe, Worgu Boms who spoke with newsmen in Port Harcourt on Monday, said the former senator was not a party in the suit that stopped the conduct of the APC congresses in the state.
Boms said: “We learnt that there was a protest at the APC headquarters in Abuja and calls for the suspension or expulsion of Distinguished Senator Magnus Ngei Abe from the party if he fails to withdraw the pending suit against the conduct of congresses in Rivers State.
“We see the calls for the expulsion or suspension of Distinguished Senator Magnus Ngei Abe from the APC as mischievous and misguided calls.
“Senator Magnus Abe is not a party in the pending suit filed by Ibrahim Umar and others against the conduct of APC congresses in Rivers State. Senator Magnus Abe was not an aspirant in the botched APC congresses in Rivers State.”
Boms, who insisted that it was anti-party for a member to take the political party he or she belongs to Court, saying that seeking legal redress is the right of every Nigerian.
He said: “There is nothing anti-party in a loyal party member seeking a redress in Court. Last year, Ojukaye Flag-Amachree took APC to Court and even got a Perpetual Injunction against the party. Nobody called for his expulsion from the party.
“Also, Tonye Cole took the APC to Court, demanding that the Court should declare him the governorship candidate of the party in Rivers State.
“Senator Magnus Abe has not committed any crime against the APC for him to be expelled or suspended. If the party is looking for people to suspend for anti-party activities, the leader of the party and Minister of Transportation, Chibuike Rotimi Amaechi should go first.
“Before the 2019 elections, while Magnus Abe and his followers remained in the APC, the Minister of Transportation moved with his followers into the African Action Congress (AAC). Even the National Chairman of APC declared that we were not in alliance with any political party.”
“The APC in Rivers is in comatose. If urgent steps are not taken, it may not come out of it early enough, if at all, fit and capable to make a strong showing in the 2023 elections. No one has respect for any person or group that cannot solve their problems.”
To this end, Boms recommended that the only way out of the quagmire, should the party be unable to meet in a peace meeting to resolve all issues with all stakeholders.
He said: “Is to call for and abide by all the judgments and rulings of the State High Court as affirmed by the Court of Appeal and the Supreme Court which not voided the exclusion of the aggrieved members from the Congresses they paid to obtain forms to participate in, but also made some orders.”
He maintained that the path of Constitutionalism is the only viable way out of the situation it has found itself.
