Amid the political crisis rocking Rivers State, three Social Democratic Party (SDP) candidates who contested in the 2023 general elections for seats of different constituencies in the State House of Assembly have defected to the All Progressives Congress (APC) with their supporters.
This was as Mr. Lawrence Chuku, a former Caretaker Chairman of Obio/Akpor Local Government Council and a close ally of former Minister of Transportation, Chibuike Amaechi has pledged to support the present leadership of the APC Caretaker Committee in the state, reports Daily Independent.
The former SDP candidates includes Mgbo-Awaji Augustus, who contested on the platform of SDP to represent Andoni in the Assembly; Chikweru Orlu, who vied for Obio/Akpor constituency II, and Bright Amadi for Obio/Akpor constituency I.
Speaking shortly after the defection at new state APC secretariat situated at Aba Road, Port Harcourt, the former candidate of SDP who contested for Andoni constituency in the state Assembly, Augustus, said he defected to the APC carrying along seven ward chairmen from his LGA.
Augustus, who was also a former secretary of the Andoni Local Government council, said he returned to the APC to support the current Caretaker Committee Chairman, Tony Okocha to succeed.
Augustus added that he was one of the founding members of the APC in the state before he left to pursue his candidacy in the SDP.
He said, “I’ve decided to come back to APC because this is my party. I am one of the founding members of the party in the state and have also benefited from the party. This is the party I rode upon to become the council secretary of my local government area.
“For a very long time, APC has not won elections in Rivers State and now that we are back with our strength to support the caretaker committee chairman, we are quite confident that APC will begin to win elections in the state. I am coming here with hundreds of people. Seven ward Chairmen in Andoni and all my supporters across the wards.”
On his part, Chikweru Orlu, who contested for Obio/Akpor constituency II, said he returned to the APC to support in rebuilding a robust party that will begin to win election in the state.
“I am sure of coming with 10 ward Chairmen of the SDP to join the APC where I belong. I have been in the party as one of the founding members of APC in Rivers State. I am back to my family and to see how we can move the state APC forward.
“Overtime, APC has just been in Rivers State like a social party, but I am sure with the new CTC chairman and his team, some of us who have come to join them will make a better APC in the state so that we can win elections and not only burial and social clubs.
“I am here to support the leadership of the party and see how we can rebuild a robust APC in Rivers State. The CTC chairman has also promised to lead an all-inclusive leadership and I am in.”
Meanwhile, Lawrence Chuku, an ally to former Governor of the state, Amaechi, who pledged support for the leadership of the current caretaker committee of the APC in the state, called on all aggrieved members of the party to come together and rebuild the party structure for victory in all coming elections in the state.
Chuku, alongside his supporters and other leaders said they are also committed to APC under the national leadership of the party and President Bola Tinubu.
“Today, Okocha and his team have been appointed by the national leadership to bring the party members together. Forget about the offence.
“There can’t be two APC in Rivers State, only one structure that is recognised by the national leadership in Rivers State. There is no human being that is perfect, the party chairman cannot be expected to be perfect, so all we need is to build our party.”
Responding to the development, Chief Tony Okocha, Caretaker Committee Chairman of the APC in the state, urged all aggrieved members of APC in Rivers State to come back and join the party to rebuild its structure as soon as possible.
Okocha expressed optimism at the expiration of the current tenure of local government council chairmen in the state, the state governor, Siminalayi Fubara would conduct elections, stressing that there will be no room for a caretaker committee for the local councils.
“We received former state Assembly candidates of SDP and their supporters. No division, my doors are always open.”
