The Rivers State chapter of the All Progressives Congress (APC) says it “received with mixed feelings the Supreme Court judgment of yesterday, Wednesday, January 27, 2016, upholding the appeal by Governor Nyesom Wike against the annulment of his election as governor of Rivers State.”

A statement issued this morning in Port Harcourt by the State Chairman, Chief (Dr.) Davies Ibiamu Ikanya, JP, said: “The party wishes to recall that the struggle to retrieve the mandates of our candidates including that of the governorship candidate, hijacked in the 2015 sham elections, led to various rulings by the election petition tribunals and Appeal Courts which annulled and ordered for the rerun elections for 22 State Assembly positions out of 32, all 3 Senatorial seats and 12 out of 13 House of Representatives seats. Ordinarily, such large-scale annulment should have logically led to upholding the annulment of the governorship election as pronounced by the Tribunal and the Appeal Court. Unfortunately, the earlier concurrent decisions of the Governorship Election Petition Tribunal and that of the Appeal Court annulling the election of the Rivers State Governor, Barr. Nyesom Wike, was upturned by the Supreme Court of Nigeria yesterday. While we are neither applauding nor condemning the decision of the apex court, we can only give thanks and adoration to God Almighty whose wisdom surpasses that of man.

“The APC would like to thank all our candidates in the race for Senatorial, House of Representatives and Rivers State House of Assembly rerun elections. The party urges them to remain steadfast and resilient and work hard alongside the party to ensure that we win all the forthcoming rerun elections.

“The party will also like to appreciate its leadership at all levels for showing uncommon courage, resilience and unity since inception to date. Same appreciation goes to our esteemed and loyal followership who have resisted impunity, temptation and enticement to remain resolute in service to the APC. It is our belief that whatever appears to be a setback now is only temporary as we will soon re-assert our pride of place in the political milieu of Rivers State and Nigeria. It must surely end in praise!

“We call on our members across Rivers State especially survivors of those who lost their loved ones before, during and after the 2015 electoral violence that the justice we sought to put a closure to their pains and losses, though denied us by man, will still be granted by the ultimate judge, God Himself. He will prove that those who paid the ultimate price did not do so in vain because he is the God of justice.

“The APC would continue to play the role of a responsible opposition party in Rivers State by protecting the peoples’ common interests and provide the bridge between our people and the APC Federal Government.

“We call on all our brothers and sisters who recently saw the light and joined us to serve our people to know that they made the right decision as we all will create and enhance a working synergy that will transcend the present times in service to our people.

“Finally, I urge all members of the APC in Rivers State to remain calm, focussed and ready for the task ahead of us as party leaders and supporters at our various units, LGAs and the State. In all things, they should continue to give God all glory and adorations as that which is ahead is greater than that behind us.”

•Photo shows Ikanya.

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