APC moves to woo Amaechi Monday

The All Progressives congress will be meeting with the Rivers State Governor, Mr. Rotimi Amaechi, on Monday, SUNDAY PUNCH has learnt.

The APC said received warm reception when it visited two of the seven aggrieved governors of the ruling Peoples Democratic Party, who formed the New PDP.

The G-7 governors are Aliyu Wamakko (Sokoto State), Sule Lamido(Jigawa State), Rotimi Amaechi (Rivers State),  Aliyu Babangida (Niger State), Abdulfatai Ahmed (Kwara State),  Murtala Nyako (Adamawa State) and Rabiu Kwakwanso (Kano State).

The leadership of the APC had visited Governor Rabi’u Kwankwaso of Kano State on Thursday and Governor Murtala Nyako of Adamawa State on Friday to woo them to the opposition party.

An APC chief, who preferred anonymity, told our correspondent on the telephone on Saturday that the opposition party will be in Port Harcourt on Monday to meet Amaechi.

The source said, “They (the governors) have received us very warmly and we are encouraged by their reception and response. We are very confident and hopeful that our efforts would not be in vain. We are going to meet Amaechi in Port Harcourt on Monday.

The party will be meeting with other rebel governors soon after.

Meanwhile, a leader of the APC in Kwara State, Francis Okafor, has advised the national leadership of party to be cautious in allowing members of the New PDP into the APC.

Okafor told journalists in Ilorin on Saturday that caution was necessary to prevent the governors from hijacking the APC structures.

The Peoples Democratic Party has however said it was sure that none of its governors will answer the invitation extended to them by the All Progressives Congress.

Deputy National Publicity Secretary of the party, Mr. Abdulahi Jalo, who stated this in a telephone interview with our correspondent in Abuja on Saturday, added that it was wrong for the APC to have started what he called “campaign” when the Independent National Electoral Commission had yet to lift ban on political activities in the country.

He said, “This is a clear breach of the Electoral Act and we hope that the INEC and the security agencies are aware of this.

“The leaders of the APC should retrace their steps and stop this campaign. They should stop trampling on the magnanimity of the President.”

Asked whether the party would sanction the Governor of Adamawa State, Admiral Murtala Nyago(retd.), who has given an indication that he might ditch the ruling party in his discussion with the opposition party, Jalo said no.

He said, “This is because it is these people who went to him and started persuading him to leave our party. It was not the governor that went to them.

 “What I know is that the peace process is not over yet. Our President and the President still want him in the party. They are very important in our party. We don’t want to lose them.”

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