Crisis of Confidence Rocks Rivers APC

Ugo Aliogo

The brewing disaffection and polarisation of the All Progressives Congress (APC) into three contending groups is threatening the survival of the party in Rivers State.

The rift, THISDAY gathered, is said to be noticeable among those loyal to the Minister of Transportation, Rotimi Amaechi; senator representing Rivers-East senatorial district, Senator Magnus Abe, and the Director-General of the Nigerian Maritime and Safety Agency (NIMASA), Adol Dakuku Peterside.

THISDAY checks also indicated that things have so fallen apart in the relationship among the three contending forces in the state APC to the extent that the distribution of resources, shares to individuals or groups are measured according to the perceived quantum of loyalty to any of the three factional leaders.

While Amaechi is said to be counting on former local government caretaker chairmen, Peterside is alleged to be relying on past and present leaders of the National Union of Rivers State Students, as well as the supporters put together during the 2015 election under the aegis of his Media Team.

On his part, Abe is resting his hope on the assurances of those considered to be fairly experienced politicians, who have held political offices in the past, but THISDAY was told that such support in the real sense of the word is not cast in stone.

Insider sources revealed that this degree of distrust and disaffection in the APC in the state can only be traced to lack of leadership and coordination.
A party stalwart who craved for anonymity had this to say: “It is very unfortunate that APC is in this mess but I have no doubt that it will become very grave because, if you look, you will find that the party is made up of inexperienced men and women, while the experienced politicians are all in the PDP.

“That ordinarily should not have been a problem if not for the myopic and ‘dog eat dog’ situation in APC. The sorry situation of Rivers APC is the massive movement of party stalwarts, particularly very few experienced politicians who worked under former Governors Rufus Ada George and Peter Odili.

“Most of those concerned were products of the famous Bulldozer of Rivers State politics, Chief Sergeant Awuse and Chief Bekimbo Soberekon, the flamboyant SPD governorship aspirant, who was also known as ‘Soberekon for the Masses.’
“The last straw that is set to break the camel’s back, and which is likely to drown and bury APC in the state with total finality was said to have been hatched in a meeting coordinated by a popular politician generally described as the technical strategist, and mathematical political manipulator from one of the upland local government areas.

“In that meeting, nine former commissioners and about 25 former office holders were in attendance. They were unanimous that time is ripe to make a movement and it will appear that survival of APC in Rivers State is now on a time machine,” the politician further explained.