Members of the All Progressives Congress (APC) Rivers State chapter, on Thursday, grounded activities at the party’s national headquarters in Abuja, demanding the immediate expulsion of Senator Magnus Abe from the party.
The protesters equally requested the national leadership of the party to prevail on Senator Abe to withdraw his case against the state chapter of the party from court or be expelled.
The group under the aegis of National Youth Leadership Congress (NYLC) warned that if the National Working Committee (NWC) refused to act on the issue, it would be concluded that it was backing the senator to destabilise the party in Rivers.
Addressing newsmen during the protest which temporarily disrupted activities at the party headquarters on Thursday, the group said it could no longer continue to ignore the divide-and-rule going on in the Rivers State chapter of the APC.
Speaking on behalf of the group, its national president, Emmanuel Orgwu, said: “Presently, Senator Magnus Abe is in court; the NWC set up a caretaker committee to conduct a congress and Magnus Abe with the names of dead people went to court in connivance with Governor Nyesom Wike and some national leaders of the APC who are enemies of the party.
“And today, we have come to ask the NWC to prevail on him to withdraw the case from the court so that we can have a peaceful congress and prepare for 2023 elections and be part of every activity of the party at state and national level.
“That if he (Abe) fails to withdraw the case from court, that he should be expelled forthwith for peace to reign in Rivers APC. If you are in APC and PDP and you are building AD you’re not a member of APC. If the NWC fails to do any of these, the youths in Rivers State will believe that the NWC is in connivance with Abe to distabilise APC in Rivers State,” the group noted.
READ ALSO: Former Nazi Guard, 93, To Stand Trial In Germany
In a letter it submitted to the party official, the group described Abe as a “severely-aching tooth with the APC and we are left with one of two alternatives: either we choose to spend hard-earned money on treatments and bear the inconvenience of severe pains at intervals or bear the pain of pulling out the tooth once and for all and get a permanent reprieve.
“There is always a cost for doing nothing. We are resolved to protect our heritage of making APC be in the conscience of Nigerians except there is an internal connivance.
“We have come to champion what Rivers people are craving for because it will be insincere not to stand up for those that believe in you. Our value will be in the problems we solve.
“So, between the two alternatives, we call for the latter: that Senator Abe is expelled from our beloved APC to give the party a permanent relieve as we work towards an assured success. Whatever affects the eyes cause a runny nose,” the petition read.
