Political appointees and major stakeholders of the All Progressives Congress (APC) from the four Ogoni-speaking LGAs of Rivers State have affirmed their loyalty to Chibuike Rotimi Amaechi’s leadership of the party in Rivers State and the South-South geopolitical zone.

The group also extended their support to President Muhammadu Buhari and the party’s rebuilding and repositioning efforts in the state, driven by Amaechi who is Minister of Transportation.

At the end of a leadership forum held November 3, at LEMACO Hall, 24/26 Ada George Road in Port Harcourt, the stakeholders in a statement issued by Chief Victor Tombari Giadom, Deputy National Secretary, and former Rivers State Commissioner for Works, former Gokana LGA Executive Chairman; Mr. George Feyii, a former Secretary to Rivers State Government and Commissioner for Finance, and 60 others resolved that: “We are thankful to President Muhammadu Buhari, Rt. Hon. Chibuike Rotimi Amaechi and the party for the many appointments made to party men from Ogoni, and major ongoing projects in Ogoniland. Worthy of mention is the naming of Derek Mene to the position of Exec. Director (Finance/Admin.) in NDDC. H.E Oji Ngofa’s posting as Nigeria’s Ambassador to the Netherlands. Some notable ongoing projects in Ogoniland include the commencement of the previously stalled Ogoni Environmental Restoration and the commencement of the Bodo-Bonny Road project.

“We view with concern the unwholesome activities of groups unknown to the APC in Ogoni Rivers State, especially as they utilise the name and insignia of the party to cause mischief and hoodwink unsuspecting Ogoni people. These groups which only serve the self serving aspiration(s) of their sponsors protagonists, have the tendency to cause disunity in the APC in Rivers State and pose a grave threat to public peace.

“We advise the generality of Ogoni APC party faithful to be mindful of events fronted by these groups and their sponsors under the guise of the APC in Ogoniland. These events should shunned, with the boycott commencing from the event called by one of such groups their sponsors planned for the police field in Bori today.

“We urge the party at the state and national levels to take immediate steps to stop the activities these groups and their sponsors, so as to assert party discipline. This is imperative as INEC has not lifted the lid on commencement of political campaigns in Rivers State.

“Finally, we urge the party to continue to step-up activities aimed at empowering the teeming party men and women in Ogoni, which remains a bastion of strength for the APC in Rivers State.”