The Rivers State Chapter of All Progressives Congress (APC) says it has uncovered a plan by a group sponsored by Governor Nyesom Wike and the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to destabilise Saturday’s APC Congresses in the state.

“The group which is suspected to have some members of APC in their fold have already gone to work,” State APC Chairman, Chief (Dr.) Davies Ibiamu Ikanya JP, said in a statement issued on Friday morning in Port Harcourt.

According to the statement, “Information unearthed by the APC confirm that the group collected a huge sum of money from the governor with the sole purpose of discrediting the congresses through wild allegations against leaders of the party especially the leader of the party in Rivers State and Honourable Minister for Transportation, Rt. Hon. Chibuike Rotimi Amaechi and the State Chairman, Chief (Dr.) Davies Ibiamu Ikanya, amongst others.

“Details of the plan seem to have been rolled out already as the group has gone on air to accuse the Minister of hijacking materials of the congresses, an accusation that exposes the ignorance of the group and makes absolutely no sense at all.

“Whereas the APC is working hard to fully expose the full dimension of the plot and the evil people who are hell-bent on destabilising our party congresses, we urge party faithful and the general public to ignore the well-known antics of Gov. Wike, the PDP and their collaborators within and outside the APC who have sold their souls to blood money. The party re-assures all members of strict adherence to the guidelines of the party congresses and not to be distracted by anyone or group under any guise.

“The party would like our members and the general public to refuse to be deceived by these agents of doom who are likely to employ diverse means to destabilise the party in fulfilment of the agreement between them and their sponsors.”

In a related development, Rivers APC has said that it “finds it disgustingly hypocritical for Gov. Nyesom Wike to extend advice on the peaceful conduct of congresses to the APC while the dust generated by massive violence and mayhem that characterised the recent PDP local government primaries across Rivers State is yet to settle.”

The party in a statement signed by its Publicity Secretary, Mr. Chris Finebone, said: “We believe that the unsolicited advice by governor Wike is a script from his dubious and irresponsible politics to divert attention from the massive criticism of the unbridled violence, killing and destruction of property during the PDP primaries by well-meaning Rivers people and Nigerians.”

The statement further reads: “It would have been far more important if Gov. Wike had preached peaceful primaries to his party men and women. It would have been quite needful if the governor walked the talk by not planting the seed of imposition, discord and deceit in his party which eventually led to the kind of unprecedented violence that marred their primaries. That surely would have been a more practical means of preaching peaceful congresses.

“The APC believed that Gov. Wike is jittery that at the end of its congresses, peace-loving Rivers people will have the opportunity to compare the activities of PDP and APC. The governor fears that Rivers people will so easily confirm that PDP members as those responsible for the political violence in Rivers State against the peaceful disposition of the APC. It is this fear that has propelled Gov. Wike to embark on offering his tainted advice. We say to him, ‘Physician, heal thyself’.”

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