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By Joel Anekwe
The confusion over the fate of the Rivers State chapter of the All Progressives Congress’s participation in the 2019 elections continued at the weekend with the display of Tonye Cole’s name as the governorship flag-bearer of the party by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).
The commission on Friday published the documents of Cole, alongside his running mate, Victor Giadom, among other candidates representing other political parties including incumbent Governor Nyesom Wike, who also retained his deputy, Dr. Ipalibo Banigo as running mate on the platform of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP).
INEC also published the names of other candidates of the Amaechi-led APC faction for other elective offices in the coming elections, who were also products of the indirect primary elections adopted by the Rivers APC faction in choosing its representatives.
However, there has been marked uncertainty in the state as to the fate of the APC following the legal tussle over who the right candidates are. Even as the recent statement by the national chairman of the party, Adams Oshiomhole did not help the party’s position given his stand that the party would conduct fresh primaries following the Supreme Court judgement on a case relating to the primaries.
Many wonder what would be the fate of the candidates, and by extension, of the party, in the elections if and when the fresh primaries as suggested by Oshiomhole hold, considering INEC’s timetable on the submission and or substitution of names of candidates for the elections.
But in a terse response to a message from our correspondent, the state publicity secretary of the APC, Chris Finebone said that the names published by INEC are the ones standing for the elections and ruled out any fresh congresses or primaries.
He said that Oshiomhole’s statement would not also affect the party’s case subsisting case on the congresses. According to him, the national chairman was only expressing his opinion.
Finebone said: “It (Oshiomole’s statement) will not affect it at all. We believe that the national chairman merely expressed his opinion, perhaps based on the advice he received. Now, that does not constitute the gospel truth.”
In a similar terse response, Parry Benson, media aide to Senator Magnus Abe, one of the major contenders for the governorship position, said: “There is nothing really for us to say. It is a matter the APC national body has already dealt with.”
A chieftain of the party with sympathy for the Sen. Abe faction, in his reaction said: “That is a very temporal nullity, bearing in mind that Adams Oshiomhole, APC National Chairman has accepted the verdict of the Supreme Court which nullified anything transport minister, Rotimi Amaechi’s camp had contorted as congresses or primaries.”
“It is no more our place (Abe’s faction of Rivers APC) to banter words with any stakeholders. But I can assure you even INEC knows it is merely playing along. The needful would be done in the end.”
