Amaechi’s loyalist, Beke, emerges APC chairman in Rivers
POLITICS DIGEST- The results of Saturday’s congress of the All Progressives Congress in Rivers State ended with a predictable outcome, as Mr. Emeka Beke, an ally of the Minister of Transportation, Rotimi Amaechi, emerged as the new party chairman in the state.
Meanwhile, from the opposition camp, Golden Chioma, who is loyal to the Magnus Abe faction of the party, who made a last-minute pullout from the chairmanship race described the exercise and the results as a nullity.
The Chairman, Rivers APC Congress Screening Committee, Dr. Abubakar Idris, who was delegated from the National Secretariat, announced that Beke pulled an overwhelming 1,575 of total 1,615 accredited delegates to beat Chizy Nyeomasila who scored eight votes and Japhet Ogbueri with zero vote, while 32 ballots were voided.
Except for the post of Women Leader where Beatrice Amoubi polled 1,601 votes to emerge winner against Koko Tonye (eight votes), all other aspirants for all other positions were returned unopposed with Sam Sam Etete Gwom elected State Secretary and Chief Chris Finebone reclaiming the office of Publicity Secretary.
The election process witnessed accreditation and open secret balloting in the presence of monitors from the Independent National Electoral Commission.
Beke, in a brief speech on behalf of the new executives, pledged to give it his best to ensure that the party wrestles power from the ruling PDP in the state and occupy Government House, Port Harcourt come 2023.
But Golden Chioma, an aspirant who boycotted at the last minute, expressed dissatisfaction with the outcome of the exercise, saying, “I think the congress is not right at this point.
We have also complained to the National Secretariat of our great party that there was no ward congress in Rivers, and I am of the opinion that you cannot put something on nothing and expect it to stand.
“Since there was no ward congress in Rivers, there can’t be a valid state congress for the state. I and others petitioned the National Secretariat that people have hijacked the ward congress in the state.
“The party then stated how things should be resolved. Those things were not resolved. A faction hacked everything. We petitioned the National Secretariat and a delegation was sent to verify our petition.
“They found out that our petition and complaints were genuine and right. So, we are waiting for the National Secretariat to take a position on that. It will be foolhardy, having complained ahead, to participate in the state congress,” Chioma added.
Punch.
