Crisis Rocks Rivers ADC Primary as Aspirant Alleges Imposition by Amaechi

Dr. Allen Idaso Ezekiel-Hart, an aspirant in the African Democratic Congress, ADC, gubernatorial primary election in Rivers State, has rejected the exercise.

The primary election was a shambolic charade, orchestrated by former Rivers State Governor, Rotimi Amaechi, to impose a preferred candidate, Ezekiel-Hart said.

Speaking to journalists in Abuja on Saturday, the aspirant alleged that the primary produced three different governorship candidates for the ADC in Rivers State, warning that the development could throw the party into crisis ahead of the 2027 elections if the national leadership does not intervene.

“Currently, we have three governorship candidates in one party, and this is due to Amaechi’s high-handedness,” Ezekiel-Hart alleged.

He further alleged that contrary to the party’s official timetable fixing May 23 for the governorship primary, aspirants were suddenly told late Friday that the exercise had been brought forward.

“As I was mobilising supporters in the 23 local government areas ahead of the scheduled poll, a fellow aspirant, Farah Dagogo, told me that a parallel exercise had earlier been conducted without my knowledge today (Thursday).

Ezekiel-Hart claimed that only five aspirants believed to be loyal to Amaechi were invited by the state party chairman, the Chief Chukwudi Dimkpa, excluding himself and Dagogo.

He described the process as a “kangaroo arrangement” purportedly meant to pave the way for Gabriel P. Thompson, whom he said has been long installed as Amaechi’s preferred candidate.

He alleged that three aspirants were persuaded to withdraw for Thompson in a consensus arrangement disguised as a consensus arrangement despite the party’s public claim that there would be no consensus candidate.

Dagogo later came to him with the suggestion that they should team up to fight what he described as “Amaechi’s camp”, he also disclosed. But he said Dagogo asked him to publicly congratulate him as the winner.

He told me to go on air and congratulate him that we are from Atiku Abubakar’s political family and should unite. I told him to stop rubbishing Atiku’s name Atiku will not be in this nonsense,” Ezekiel-Hart said.

He claimed that Dagogo even offered him political compensation, including possible appointment as Secretary to the State Government, if he endorsed his self-declared victory.

Ezekiel-Hart said he turned down the offer and later declared himself winner after Dagogo had earlier publicly declared himself winner.

“As it is, Farah declared himself winner, Thompson was declared winner by the state exco, and I also declared myself winner. Three winners in a primary that never was. “That is impossible,” he said.

Ezekiel-Hart accused the Rivers ADC leadership of systematically sidelining him, saying he was the only aspirant who formally notified the party in writing of his intention to contest, with documented acknowledgment from the party secretariat.

He also accused Amaechi of trying to emulate what he called a long-standing culture of political imposition.

“How can one who is asking for transparent presidential primaries in the country turn around and impose a governorship candidate in Rivers?” he asked.

Ezekiel-Hart further alleged that the former minister had failed to account for his political role in the 2015 presidential transition that ousted former President Goodluck Jonathan.

“He owes the South-South an apology for what he did to Jonathan and mortgaging the political future of this region.”

Ezekiel-Hart called on the ADC National Working Committee to immediately nullify the controversial exercise and conduct a fresh primary or adopt a consensus arrangement in accordance with the electoral timetable issued by the Independent National Electoral Commission.

The most pragmatic course of action at this point is for the NWC to call for a rescheduled primary or to rush through a lawful consensus option. Time is running out,” he suggested.

Similarly, Ezekiel-Hart warned Dagogo against the continual mention of Atiku’s name to bolster his case.

“He should stop dragging Atiku’s name through the mud in Rivers. “Atiku is our father, no one should say he is foisting any candidate here.”

“We will exhaust every legal channel within the party,” he pledged, saying, “We will pursue all grievances strictly within the framework of the party constitution.” “I’m not going to rock the boat unnecessarily but the party has to recognise that I won the primaries.”