Rivers APC candidate pledges to sustain Amaechi’s legacies

Governorship candidate of the All Progressive Congress, APC in Rivers State, Mr Dakuku Peterside, has assured that he will consolidate on the success of the administration of Governor Rotimi Amaechi, if elected governor of the state in the 2015 general polls.

•Amaechi addressing supporters during the rally

Meanwhile, the party said its primaries will still hold for elective offices despite the adoption of Peterside by the party’s caucus as the standard bearer of the party in next year’s governorship election.

Spokesman of the party, Mr Chris Finebone in a statement, said “Indeed, the Rivers State APC caucus, after a long period of diligent scrutiny and in their wisdom on Wednesday, endorsed Peterside for the forthcoming governorship primaries of the party in Rivers State.

“It is important to re-emphasize that the primaries of the APC in Rivers State will hold as planned and all processes will be duly and diligently adhered to.”

Meantime, Ogoni youths numbering about 100, yesterday stormed Government House, Port Harcourt to protest the adoption of Peterside as standard bearer of the party.

The protesting youths, who gave the governor 48 hour ultimatum to reverse the action accused Governor Amaechi of betraying an alleged understanding that Senator Abe, an Ogoni would get the party’s ticket.

Peterside, who emerged the consensus candidate of the party Wednesday evening, also said he will run a broad based government.

He dismissed fears in some quarters that the Ogoni axis of the state will not vote for him because they had been clamouring for an Ogoni governor come 2015.

Describing Senator Magnus Abe, who would have been his rival for the party’s ticket as his close friend, the governorship candidate said he was also like an Ogoni son. He alleged that the Ogonis who protested his emergence as candidate of the party were not Ogoni, adding that Ogoni see him as their son.

Public Relations Officer, Movement for the Survival of Ogoni People, MOSOP, Mr Legborsi Esaen who spoke to newsmen on the protest, said though he was not part of the exercise but he heard that APC faithful from Ogoni carried out the protest.

Meantime, one of the protesters was allegedly shot by the Police while trying to disperse them around the Government House area.