Members of Rivers State All Progressives Congress (APC) have claimed that President Bola Tinubu neglected and rejected them after they sacrificed so much to nurture the party.
A source who spoke to Daily Independent under the condition of anonymity lamented that the President drove a nail into the coffin of the party in the state when he appointed former River Governor, Nyesom Wike as a minister in his cabinet.
He stated that after the APC in the state sacrificed their lives to keep the party afloat, Tinubu, rather than give them succour, as was the case under former President Buhari, he chose to ignore them.
He stated that several individuals who are familiar with the political history of the APC in Rivers are worried over the sudden romance between Tinubu and Wike.
The source said, “Tinubu’s actions have finally crushed what is left of the APC or driving the nail into the coffin of the party in the state.
“It is unlikely that the President has forgotten so quickly that it was under the Wike-led PDP in Rivers State that the APC was almost frozen and given several death blows which significantly paralyzed activities of the party in the state from 2015 up until 2019 and beyond.
“Several observers who are very familiar with the political history of the APC in Rivers are worried about the sudden romance of President Tinubu with PDP’s Wike to the detriment of his own party in the state which he personally courted in 2014.
“On the flip side, going by the claims in some quarters, President Tinubu’s appointment of Wike a PDP chieftain and presidential aspirant under the PDP as Minister in his cabinet is believed to be a quid pro quo for the alleged electoral favour done him by Wike at the 2023 presidential polls.
“Whether this is true or not, it is well within the President’s right and powers to appoint anyone who he considers fit into his cabinet irrespective of political, social, ethnic or religious leanings.
“However, there is a strong argument that it is equally imperative for the President to understand that such moves shouldn’t be done at the expense of his party and that such actions should have been guided by conscience and the constitutional provisions of his party. Article 9 (3) (iii) of the APC constitution clearly provides for rewards and compensation to party members by APC-led governments at all levels.
“The President as leader of his party is bound by conscience and constitution of his party to give members of his party a sense of belonging in his government whether or not he feels their efforts were not enough to have contributed to his victory.”
