The Rivers State chapter of the African Democratic Congress (ADC) has inaugurated 600-member Governorship Campaign Council ahead of the 2027 general election in the state.
The party said it would embark on a non-violent issue-based campaign to mobilise voters across the 23 local government areas of Rivers State promising to promote inclusive governance and respect for the independence of the executive legislature and judiciary.
The Chairman of the ADC Governorship Campaign Council Senator Andrew Uchendu spoke on Monday in Port Harcourt during the inauguration of the 600-member council.
Uchendu who described the state as being held back by political conflicts among its elite alleged that the ongoing political crisis had undermined governance and deprived residents of essential public services.
He said: ‘While Godfathers wage private wars of ego in Abuja and Port Harcourt governance in Rivers State has been completely abandoned. An elected government has been decapitated by legislative rascality. Healthcare has collapsed.
‘Hospital built by previous administrations have been left to rot leaving ordinary mothers and infants without access to basic medicine. Schools are abandoned. Our children sit on the floor.
‘While neighboring states build for the future our state is paralyzed by executive/legislative drama and godfatherism. Our state is rich but our people are poor. We produce oil that feeds the nation but we have no light no good roads no clean water.
According to him the party’s objective is to restore stability rebuild public institutions and ensure that elected officials discharge their constitutional responsibilities in the interest of the people.
‘That is why ADC is here. We want a state where the legislature will do their work the executive will do their work the judiciary will do their work. On behalf of the people not on behalf of themselves’ Uchendu said.
He added: ‘Our task is clear. We must rescue what we have before that has been lost. We must recover and rebuild our state for ourselves and our children yet more. And take it to where we believe it should be. Our task is very clear. Take our rescue message to all the 23 local government areas of River State.
‘Run an issue-based campaign. Non-violent campaign. Unite all tribes. We are one people. We will need to unite our people and fight as a common front. And therefore run a government that is fair inclusive.’
Uchendu said the party would focus on issues affecting residents rather than violence or divisive political rhetoric adding that every vote in the forthcoming election must count.
He also called on members of the campaign council to take the party’s message to communities across the state and mobilise support around its proposed governance agenda.
Earlier the Rivers State ADC Chairman Dr Chukwudi Dimkpa formally inaugurated the campaign council and charged its members to discharge their responsibilities with diligence discipline and a strong sense of accountability.
Dimkpa said the council comprised its leadership directorates departments and other members adding that its activities must comply with the party’s constitution approved terms of reference and the laws of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.
He said: ‘Having duly presented the leadership directorates departments and membership of the River States 2027 Governorship Campaign Council and acting in my capacity as the state chairman of the ADC River States I hereby formally inaugurate the campaign council.
‘I charge every member to discharge his or her responsibilities faithfully diligently and in accordance with the constitution of our party the approved terms of reference and the laws of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.’
The party chairman formally handed over responsibility for coordinating and executing the ADC’s governorship campaign in Rivers State to the council under the leadership of Uchendu as chairman and Chimbiko Akarolo as Director-General.
He however stated that the council would operate under the overall authority and policy direction of the state party leadership.
Dimkpa said: ‘I now formally hand over the responsibility for the coordination and execution of our governorship campaign to the campaign council under the leadership of distinguished Senator Andrew Uchendu as chairman and Honorable Chimbiko Akarolo as Director-General subject to the overall authority and policy direction of the state party leadership.
‘I expect this council to operate as one united disciplined and result-oriented team. By this declaration the River States ADC 2027 Campaign Council is hereby formally inaugurated.’