Flashback: What the venue of the National Convention in Abuja looked like. What will the venue of the forthcoming primaries in Rivers State be like?
Reports say Senator Wilson Ake and Hon. Golden Ben-Chioma, two strong supporters of Senator Magnus Abe have been spotted at a meeting with the Minister of Transportation, Rt. Hon. Chibuike Rotimi Amaechi.
The meeting purportedly took place at the State Party Secretariat of the APC in Port Harcourt.
Although details of the conversation are not yet in the public domain, the sudden appearance of the duo at the Secretariat controlled by Chief Emeka Beke, State Chairman of the party, has sent tongues wagging.
Some Rivers people, faced with the development, are wondering if there are emerging differences in the Abe camp.
Others are however suggesting that there may be another attempt at some reconciliation between the leaders of both camps who have been at war.
Previous efforts made in the past to reconcile the two factions have failed to bear fruits.
Senator Magnus Abe, leader of Freedom House… Does not recognize consensus.It is however obvious that party members in the State may be headed for primaries.
While Abe is busy campaigning, there are equally indications that other gubernatorial aspirants may have decided to take their own destiny into their hands by purchasing forms.
Ojukaye Flag Amachree who said he is not a cry baby is reputed to have bought his form.
There are other aspirants who may be operating underground, giving events that are playing out.
Rotimi Amaechi.. Navigating through murky political waters. Could it be that there is increasing rebellion against his rule?
Another gubernatorial aspirant on the platform of the APC told this medium under ananymous conditions, “We cannot have a situation where someone is pursuing his own ambition on one hand and trying to hinder the aspirations of others. Some of us have grown past this stage.”
Nonetheless, Amaechi and his supporters enjoy the support of the APC National Secretariat, which continues to liaise with officials at the State level, that are deemed to have been duly elected.
An experienced politician, name withheld, believes that “issues relating to the conduct of the forthcoming party primaries” might have necessitated the said meeting.
Tonye Princewill… Moves aside for Tonye Cole.
Senator Abe who is campaigning in parts of the State has said he is not bound by what some members of his own party are describing as the emergence of a consensus candidate.
Chris Finebone, Spokesman for the APC has put up a disclaimer, saying that the party is yet to come up with a common position on the issue of the governorship.
The implication is that the floor is still open for a fair contest within the party, given the fact that some of those who signed unto an understanding that they will accept whatever position reached are beginning to renege.
Sokonte Davies has since declared, “I will not contest”, saying for the avoidance of any doubt that he is a gentleman.
In the meantime, people are wondering where the recent meeting which brought Senator Ake and Hon. Ben-Chioma to the roundtable at the APC Secretariat would lead.