By Nwaorgu Faustinus
Erstwhile
National Publicity Secretary of the defunct New People’s Democratic Party
(nPDP), member of APC Legacy Projects Media Team and chieftain of the All
Progressives Congress (APC), Chief Eze Chukwumeka Eze, says one good strategy
adopted by guber aspirants from Rivers State, under the platform of the APC, is
the agreement to support a consensus arrangement and form a strong, united
front ahead of the 2023 general elections.
The party chieftain however
regretted the current discordance seeming to have permeated the circle upon the
emergence of Arch. Tonye Cole as the choice candidate to fly the party’s flag in
the election.
In a statement made available to
media houses in Port Harcourt, Chief Eze said Tonye Cole’s emergence was the
resolution of leaders and elders of the party who met, weighed each aspirant
and accordingly, decided to approve Arch. Tonye Cole as the consensus
candidate, based on records within their disposal and the parameters for the
scrutiny.
“I was elated when key Rivers APC
Gubernatorial candidates resolved to come together through a memorandum to
support whoever amongst them that would emerge as consensus candidate of the
party, to wrestle power from the visionless administration of Gov. Nyesom Wike
and the People’s Democratic Party, but hearing that some aspirants who are
signatories to the memorandum are singing discordant tones gives me concern.
This is because we have suffered and sacrificed so much to keep the party
afloat in th State.”.
The party Chief said all the 13
gubernatorial aspirants are eminently qualified to represent the party in the
2023 gubernatorial race but reminded everyone that not all 13 can represent the
party at the same time. The elders and leaders having decided on Tonye Cole,
Eze said party faithful and loyalists ought to team up and ensure that the
party succeeds, noting that the interest of the party must rank topmost in all
individual considerations.
Eze referred party members to the
recent teaching of the Transportation Minister and Nigeria’s next President,
Rt. Hon. Chibuike Amaechi, on loyalty.
According to Eze, Rt Hon. Amaechi
explained that it is sad that many politicians do not understand the concept of
loyalty. “Loyalty is not when you are not chosen, you become disloyal. Loyalty
means you follow the man that leads you, the man to whose leadership you have
already surrendered. If you don’t follow, it means you are not loyal, you are
only benefitting from the man politically and economically. The day he’s not
able to give you that economic reality, is the day you become disloyal.
“Let me tell you something about
loyalty. In 2007, we were in a meeting and somebody asked me if Dr. Peter Odili
(former Governor of Rivers State) says you will not run for the office of
governor, what will you do? I said I will surrender and support whoever he
brings. We fought the battle for me to be Governor because Dr. Odili called me
and said ‘go to court,’ if not we had met as a group and said we would stand by
his choice. But he called me and said ‘…go to court.’
“I am a very loyal person, and
those who are disloyal, I wish them well, those who want to do whatever they
want to do, I wish them well. The opportunity will be given to everybody, we
will run this presidential election, we will run, and I am loyal to the
President and I am loyal to the Party. If the party says it is me, thank God.
If the party says it is not me, whoever the party chooses, I will support. If
the Party and President choose anybody, I will support the person. If the party
chooses me, I will be glad and say thank God,”
Responding to those offering
negative opinions about consensus, the party Chief said so far as the party's
constitution supports such arrangement as one of the options through which a
candidate can be selected to fly the flag of the party in an election, it
becomes immoral for anyone loyal to the party and her leadership to think
otherwise.
Eze categorically stated that
though Tonye Cole is not his preferred candidate for the race but as a
party loyalist and blind one at that, he is restrained from acting in any
manner that will turn the party into a laughing stock by those who have been
making efforts in the last seven years to ensure that the party is destroyed.
“I accept and agree with some
school of thought that Tonye Cole is not an ideal politician by keeping off
from most of our political activities and welfare of members, I wish to plead
and urge each one of us to sheath our swords and team up with him to salvage
Rivers State before it is too late. Besides, I am convinced that Tonye Cole
being a successful Entrepreneur and international one in that matter will bring
his wealth of wisdom in this regard to turn around the fortunes of the State
positively so let us give him a chance to serve the State.
I sympathize with Dr. Dakuku
Peterside who has stood fiercely behind the party all these years fighting and
taking a lot of troubles on our behalf and appeal to him to be calm and retrace
any step that may be interpreted as an anti party activity because the future
is greater than where we are at the moment.”
“Our major goal as party faithful
is to ensure that we get back the Brick House and occupy the Aso Rock and when
that happens, we all will be tired of appointments. So, why fight over little
or inconsequential issues while we are capable of having better opportunities
by tomorrow”.
For those who feel that Amaechi
must be blamed for every mishap or mistake, Eze said propagators of such
opinion should tone down such mentality, stressing that the very day the 19
Wise Elders met to discuss on consensus, Amaechi was not in that meeting as he
far away Delta State with Vice President Osinbanjo, attending the burial of the
father of the Minster of State for Labour and Employment Festus Egwarewa
Adeniyi Keyamo so how can Amaechi be blamed for a decision taken in his
absence?
Chief Eze emphasized that the task
ahead of the party is a serious one as he noted that when politics is involved,
Governor Nyesom Wike is not a pushover no matter his shortcomings and
underperformance as Governor. The party is dealing with a deadly and crude
political strategist. It is only when the APC gets her acts together that the
party can teach Wike and the PDP some serious political lessons as he retires
from politics come 2023.
Eze counseled Pastor Tonye Cole to
sit down and reflect on reasons for opposition to his candidature and make
relevant amendments to his style of politics because according to him, Rivers
APC has very credible party members that can help him to win election in Rivers
State comfortably without much thought over bringing outsiders in that regard.
He encouraged Cole to unite
and liaise with all those who contested this office, adopt some of their
policies and incorporate some of their members into the campaign Team, assuring
that by so doing, the journey to the Brick House will be smooth and enjoyable.
He said Wike has done much of the
campaign for the APC with his visionless style of administration and therefore,
it is only left to the party to capitalize on most of his shortcomings and
teach a lesson that he will live to cherish throughout his retirement years
from politics come 2023.
“In this regard, I urge Tonye Cole
to inculcate the Spartan strategy of Dakuku Peterside, the humility of Dawari
George, the royalty of Tonye Princewill, the listening style of Dr. Davies
Sonkote, the flamboyant style of Alabo Ebenezer and most importantly the
uncommon wisdom of Rt. Hon. Chibuike Rotimi Amaechi, these are qualities that
will make you the desired leader of Rivers State. Some of us will be ready to
help out if we are still found to be relevant.” Eze stated
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