5th October, 2018
Okafor Ofiebor/Port Harcourt
Rivers State faction of the All Progressives Congress APC, loyal to Senator Magnus Abe has threatened to sue the National Working Committee, NWC, of the party for dropping Abe and giving clearance to Tonye Dele Cole as flag bearer of the party in next year’s governorship election.
Cole, supported by the Transportation Minister, Chibuike Amaechi, is among the 24 Governorship candidates to be cleared by the NEC to Contest 2019 elections.
This is sequel to the governorship primaries of the APC, held across the country. the Party’s NWC at its meeting held on Thursday, 4th October, 2018 ratified the reports of the various Electoral Committees and adopted the under-listed as Governorship candidates of the APC for the forthcoming 2019 general elections.
In statement signed by Mr. Yekini Nabena, the Acting National Publicity Secretary stated that candidates cleared to fly the party flag include: Abdullahi Umar Ganduje – Kano, Mohammed Abubakar – Baucus, Simon Lalong- Plateau, Nasir El-Rufai – Kaduna State, Mohammed Baduru Abubakar – Jigawa State, Ahmed Aliyu – Sokoto, Abubakar Atiku Bagudu – Kebbi.
Amina Bello Masari- Katsina, Abubakar Sani Bello – Niger State, Babagana Umara-Zulum – Bornu State, Mai Mala Buni – Yobe State, Abubakar A. Sule- Nasarawa State, Emmanuel Jimme – Benue State, Babajide Sanwo–Olu – Lagos, Tonye Cole – Rivers State, Uche Ogah – Abia State, Nsima Ekere- Akwa Ibom, Adebayo Adelabu – Oyo State, Dapo Abiodun- Ogun State, Great Ogboru Delta, Owan Enoh – Cross River, Inuwa Yahaya – Gombe State, Sunny Ogboji B- Ebonyi, and Sani Abubakar Danladi- Taraba
However, the Acting Chairman of Abe’s faction of APC, Peter Odike threatened to challenge the party’s decision to clear Cole in court on the ground that he got his ticket under “the illegal faction of the party in the state.