BY JIMITOTA ONOYUME

THEY ARE JOKERS – WIHIOKA

PORT HARCOURT: Leadership caucus of All Progressive Congress, APC, in Elele, Ikwerre local government area of Rivers state has threatened to expel the member representing Ikwerre/Emohua federal constituency in the House of Representatives, Hon Chidi Wihioka from his ward over alleged anti party activities.

In a statement made available to newsmen yesterday in Port Harcourt and signed by Hon Elechi Dike, Stephen Amadi and twenty three  others the  leadership caucus accused the lawmaker of allegedly misrepresenting the public on the governorship  slot  of the party for 2019, insisting that the party had not taken a position on the issue in Elele and the local government area.

APC logo: Insets: from L-R: •Ilori: Osun Commissioner & •Owolabi: Ondo Commissioner

The group further accused the lawmaker of allegedly snubbing meetings of the  party, adding that he was no longer contributing to the growth of the party.

The group who pledged their unflinching loyalty to the Minister of Transportation, Mr Chibuike Amaechi also advised the lawmaker to stop parading himself as a leader of the party.

When contacted, Hon Wihioka dismissed the group as an illegal body and unknown  to the constitution of the party, adding that  by virtue of his position as the member representing Ikwerre/Emohua constituency in the House of Representatives he was automatically the leader of the party in the area

Continuing, he  said the constitution allowed him to support his choice for the governorship ticket of the party, noting  that only the national leadership of the party could suspend him, since he is a member of NEC.

“There is nothing like APC leadership caucus in APC constitution.  It is an illegal body. Having being elected  to represent Ikwerre/ Emohua constituency in the House of Representatives I am a leader of the party. The constitution allows you to support anybody of your choice. And the only level of the party that can suspend me is the national leadership because I am a member of NEC”, he said

He further cautioned members of the group to respect the law.

Hon Wihioka is a front-line supporter of Senator Magnus Abe for the governorship ticket of the party in 2019, a move that has not gone down well with some members of the party.  Senator Abe currently represents Rivers south east senatorial district in the Senate.