•George and Ganduje (standing)
The National Chairman of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) Abdullahi Umar Ganduje has said the party is set to take over the political structures of Rivers State.
He boasted that the oil-rich state belongs to the governing party, reports The Nation.
Ganduje spoke last night when the APC National Working Committee (NWC) received the Rivers 2023 governorship candidate of the Action Alliance (AA) Dr. Dawari Ibietela George, into the ruling party.
Receiving the former federal lawmaker to the fold, Ganduje maintained that as a skilled politician, the defection of George to the ruling party would help APC to garner more votes and completely take over the state.
The national chairman said there will be a bigger rally in Rivers State to formally receive the new entrant, whom he described as a “big fish” along with his teeming supporters
“We are happy to have you join our fold. I know that you are a good politician who contested election and won, and you also contested election and lost.
“So, get ready for us. Rivers State is our state. In Rivers State, you know we need a rain of votes. So Rivers be ready for us, Rivers will be completely APC.
“We have our caretaker committee that will welcome you there but very soon we will hold Congresses in Rivers State to elect our party leadership in APC, therefore those who are coming with you will be given opportunity to participate in the ward Congress, Local Government Congress and the state Congress of our party, So Mr. George we want you to feel at home because we are brothers.
“We welcome you into our party. We are bent on deepening democracy in our country. So we assure you that as you have come back home, you now have equal status with all members of our party. There will be full participation for you and your views will be accommodated and that of all your followers who are coming back to the party as well.”
George, who was until 2022 a member of APC, appreciated the Chairman and members of the NWC for receiving him.
Addressing the APC NWC members, the elated returnee said: “When I left the party, everybody knew and now, I don’t want to come back to the party through the back door hence the need to visit the National secretariat of the party.”
He promised to actively contribute to the development of the party at all levels, assuring his full cooperation with the leadership of APC.
