Ojukaye Flag Amachree, a foremost Rivers APC chieftain have joined Sen. Magnus Abe in rejecting the consensus arrangement made by some leaders of the party to bring in Tonye Cole as the consensus candidate of the party for the 2023 gubernatorial election.
PulseNets learnt this was made known through his support group who condemn the whole consensus arrangement.
In statement made available to PulseNets, the convener of the group made it clear where Mr Flag Amachree stands on the consensus arrangement.
The staement reads;
The leadership of the Ojukaye Flag Amachree support movement (OFASM) categorically condemn in strong terms, the outcome of the so-called consensus carried out by a selected few in Abuja on Friday the 22/04/2022, at the residence of the minister of Transportation.
The leadership of the aforementioned group from its own end, views the outcome of the so-called consensus as a devious means of taking the party back to its doom come 2023.
In order to put the records straight as regards the emergence of a consensus candidate, it is pertinent to note that, the provision as enshrined in the new electoral act states clearly that, The state working committee (SWC) has to meet to affirm a consensus governorship aspirant with officials of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) in attendance before Submitting the person’s name to the electoral body. Aside that, the Independent National Electoral Commission shall not accept such nomination.
Furthermore, Paragraph 3,4 and 5, of the communique signed on the 11/04/2022, clearly reveals the agreement reached by aspirants of the All Progressive Congress in respect to their ambition.
i) Paragraph 3 states that,The progressive aspirants also agreed to work in unity and support whoever emerges at the party primaries either by way of consensus or election, as exemplified by the party’s leadership in the just concluded national convention.
ii) Paragraph 4,states that,The progressive aspirants also called on the leadership of the party to ensure a level playing field during the primaries to give everyone a sense of belonging, fairness and equity.
iii) Paragraph 5, states that, As a way of respecting the party’s supremacy, The aspirants resolved that, immediately a candidate emerges, all aspirants will put self ego aside and collapse their campaign structure into the party structure to support the flag bearer to win the 2023 elections for APC in Rivers state.
From the basis of the foregoing, the following can be deduced:
First, As enshrined in the new electoral act, A consensus candidate can only emerge, if the state working committee meets to affirm a consensus governorship aspirant in the presence of the officials of the independent national electoral Commission, without which, the process will be considered invalid.
Secondly, As stated in Paragraph 3 of the communique signed by the aspirants above, A Consensus candidate can only emerge either by consensus or election, but must take place at the primaries not in one’s residence by a selected few considered as elders.
The constitution of the All progressive Congress, did not recognize and empower a certain group of people referred to as “Elders of the Party” to converge at an individual’s residence to adopt an aspirant and impose such on the party as a consensus candidate, hence the condemnation.
Thirdly, The consensus is contrary to the communique signed by the aspirants as contained in Paragraph 4, which calls on the leadership of the party to ensure a level playing field during the primaries.
The leadership of the Rivers state chapter of the All Progressive Congress, have rather chosen to the path of handpicking an individual to be its consensus candidate as against the wish of the aspirants as contained in the communique.
We however advise the invisible hands involved in this act to desist from it as it will yield no positive fruits.
Finally, the leadership and the entire faithfuls of the Ojukaye Flag Amachree support movement (OFASM) uses this medium to call on our leader and principal not to be dismayed at the outcome of the so-called consensus, but rather be focused on answering the clarion call of salvaging Rivers state from the prevalent Evil governance come 2023.
Lady Helen Gladstone
Convener
26/04/2023
