The All Progressives Congress (APC) in Rivers State had had a long walk in battle from both within and without. As a result of internal conflicts, the party was deprived of the opportunity of participating in the 2019 General Elections, an election she was destined to win. The impasse of 2019 dealt ‘a big blow’ to the aspirations and hopes of several members of the party as it made their political journey almost a journey to ‘nowhere’.
So, while the drums of the 2023 General Elections are rolling, the APC in Rivers State must seek to avert a repeat of the 2019 imbroglio. To this end, the choice of who flies the party flag is critical. The truth is that the APC in Rivers State has an arsenal of human capital that can administer this state and redeem her from Wike’s maladministration and accentuated ‘primitive accumulation’. It should be a thing of pride that we have men with experience in leadership and governance, people who have proven themselves in the private sector and various sectors of the economy. These men and women of value are indeed a blessing to the party and we must never take the value they add for granted.
Read Also: 2023 Presidency: Chibuike Rotimi Amaechi to declare presidential interest April.
However, critical moments require critical decisions; and the APC in Rivers State is at a critical moment of not just her existence but also of our state. To that extent, we must be strategic in who flies the party’s flag. We must resist the temptation of handing over the flag of our great party to someone just because he/she has money. While it is true that money can make a huge difference in our nascent political space, it is more fundamentally true that money can never make all the difference.
So, who should the APC not field to fly her flag at this critical moment?
The APC must avoid fielding an aspirant that has the potential of polarizing the party;
The APC must not field a person that has shown character of disloyalty over the years;
The APC must refuse the temptation of fielding a person that is not a party man;
The party must not field a person who the youth (majority of whom) will reject;
The APC candidate must not be someone unacceptable to the women;
Who then is qualified to fly the APC flag?
A party man with a track record of loyalty;
A party man who is a unifier and can unify members and organs of the party;
A party man who has respect for the Elders and Leaders of the party;
A party man who is youth friendly (so, it will be easy for the youths to buy into him);
A known bridge-builder in the party (and beyond);
A gender sensitive party man.
It is expedient to point out that Rivers people (PDP members inclusive) are tired of the politics of Rivers State today; hence, they are waiting to see how the APC unites and wrestle power for the overall good of the state, so they can experience prosperity again. APC must not disappoint Rivers people.
A careful look at the state of things shows that one man Dr. Dawari Ibietela George fits into the descriptions above and even more. We therefore, join millions of Rivers people to call on him to run for the office of Governor, Rivers State. Similarly, we call on the Party Leader, the Rt. Hon. Chibuike Rotimi Amaechi and other leaders and members of the party to support Dr. Dawari George to DIG DEEP into the problems of Rivers State and return the state to the path of prosperity. We are also very confident that he is one man whose candidature won’t throw the party into crisis. Together, let us build.
