By Nwaoru Faustinus
The All Progressives Congress (APC) in Rivers State has thanked the electorate in the State for overwhelmingly voting for the party in Saturday’s local government elections, describing their action as an endorsement of the eight years administration of out-going Governor Chibuike Rotimi Amaechi. The party in a statement issued Monday in the State capital, Port Harcourt, described the decision of the Amaechi administration to organise the council polls as not only timely but also an affirmation of his status as a true democrat.
“Not minding the opposition of by the PDP leadership in Rivers State, Gov. Amaechi has once again, true to his political sagacity, proved that he is in charge of the politics of Rivers State. The successful conduct of the polls and the eager acceptance of the 22 candidates fielded by APC by the people of Rivers State has once more demonstrated that Rivers State is an APC State,” the State Chairman, Dr. Davies Ibiamu Ikanya, said in the statement.
He congratulated the Rivers State electorate for having faith in the party by electing all the 22 candidates presented by it. “We wish to reassure the good people of Rivers State that with the calibre of candidates so elected, the APC revolution at the various local government areas is about to take off. With this election, the State has finally buried the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) as a political party and by the time we have a re-run governorship election the PDP will be formally nailed,” Ikanya said.
He noted that with the successful conduct of the council polls, the Rivers State Independent Electoral Commission (RSIEC) has showed that it has a lot to teach the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) in Rivers State in the art of conducting credible elections. “RSIEC’s transparent conduct of the council polls proves that conducting a credible election is not rocket science and that that both the State Resident Electoral Commissioner and most of the Directors ought to be in prison than moving around freely on account of the charade which they foisted on Rivers State on March 28 and April 11 in the name of elections,” Rivers APC said.
The party praised the strategy adopted by the police to checkmate the killing squad of PDP during the council polls, “which simply shows that the Nigeria Police will perform wonders if allowed to act professionally by the powers that be.” “We commend the police and wish that they continue to act in this manner for the greatness of our nation,” the party said.
Rivers APC urged the newly elected Council Chairmen to promote security and the development of their various areas and implement the party’s manifesto. The elected chairmen are as follows –
