Crisis looms in Rivers Assembly as APC expels Minority Leader

Crisis is looming in the Rivers State House of Assembly following the expulsion of the newly elected Minority Leader of the House, Hon. Benibo Fredrick Anabraba, the member representing Akoku Toru Constituency II by his party, the All Progressives Party, APC, for alleged anti-party activities, disobedience, and negligence in carrying out the lawful directives of the party.

Hon. Anabrabra was elected the Minority Leader in the Assembly in an election in which the ruling Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, nominated and ensured his election to the disapproval of thew APC members who claimed that it was their right to decide who became the minority leader.

In a letter dated January 27, 2017, addressed to Hon. Anabraba and copied to the National Chairman and the National Vice Chairman, South-South of the party, the APC state Chairman, Dr. Davies Ibiamu Ikanya, claimed that the party’s National Working Committee, NWC had invited the lawmaker on three occasions based on all the allegations leveled against him but that he ignored the invitations.

The letter read in part: “The National Working Committee (herein referred to as NWC) of the All Progressives Congress, APC, Rivers State chapter, haven invited you three times to her meetings to discuss the allegation of your anti party activities, disobedience and negligence in carrying out lawful directives of the party….

“Your willful and consistent refusal to attend the proceedings on three occasions you were invited has confirmed your disrespect to your constituted authority of the party. The party considers your willful and deliberate refusal to make yourself available to answer to the allegations against you as sufficient confirmation that the allegations against you are true.

“Therefore, the party in pursuit to the relevant provisions of the constitution of the All Progressives Congress, APC (October 24 as amended) particularly Article 21 (A) ii, and iii, hereby expels you from the party forthwith.”

Both the APC and the Peoples’ Democratic Party, PDP, lawmakers in the House had on Tuesday, January 17, 2017, voted on the floor of the House, to elect Hon. Anabraba as the minority leader of the House against the wishes of the APC legislators, who preferred Hon. Josiah John Olu, APC, representing Eleme state constituency.

Hon. Victoria Wobo Nyeche, APC, Port Harcourt state constituency 1, who nominated Hon. Olu, on behalf of her colleagues in the APC, stated that the PDP lawmakers had no business nominating a minority leader for the APC. Anabrabra was nominated by Sam Oge, PDP, Emohua state constituency.

Nyeche lamented: “Our colleagues in the PDP are not the ones to nominate our minority leader. Our caucus in the House should decide who we want as our minority leader. The interest of the PDP in whom emerges as the minority leader of the House, APC being the minority party in this sense is suspicious.”

Olu, who was defeated 8 votes to 15, has denounced the manner Anabraba emerged. “The APC party caucus has chosen me for that position. So, the nomination of Anabrabra by the PDP is not in tune with the wish of our party. We are meeting to consult with our party leaders,” he said.

All efforts to reach Hon. Anabraba failed as he has not responded to calls put across him as at press time.