C'River: I'm Not Part Of Any 'Consesus'; I'm Still In The Race - Chris Agara

By Obio Monday

 There appears to be a major crack in the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Cross River State as one of the aspirants for the governorship under the Party, Chief Chris Agara, a close friend of Governor Ben Ayade, has distanced himself from the consensus agreement reached today by the party in Abuja.

Chief Agara described the meeting as "merely a talk shop amidst good food and vintage liquor", as such, should not be accorded any importance, as the electoral act stipulates that such arrangement must be written and signed by all the aspirants for such office.

GRASSROOT REPORTERS had earlier reported that the APC settled for Senator Bassey Otu as its consensus candidate, in a meeting which was attended by all the aspirants, including the APC State Exco, critical stakeholders and Governor Ben Ayade.

This paper also reported that Chief Agara has already purchased the APC's nomination form while Senator John Owan-Enoh is also rumoured to have purchased the party's form too.

In a statement signed by the Director General of his (Agara) campaign Organization, Bar. Richard Ogbeche, it noted that Chief Agara expressed reservations about the consensus option at the meeting.

The statement reads in full: 

WE ARE NOT PART OF THE SO - CALLED 'CONSENSUS' APC CANDIDATURE

The Chris Agara Campaign Organisation wishes to state very clearly as follows:

1. That we are legitimate members of the All Progressives Party (APC), who have always respected and will continue to respect the lawful decisions of the Party and all is organs at all levels. 

2. That we recognise the leadership of the Party in the state by His Excellency, the Governor, Professor Ben Ayade and have been and will continue to be loyal to his leadership. 

3. We wish to state very clearly that such respect and loyalty should however be mutual since the leadership of the Party and the Governor are as important to the members as the members should be important to them. 

4. That our Principal was invited to the meeting which took place on Monday, May 9th at the Transcorp Hotel, in Abuja to discuss the report of the Seven - Man Committee earlier set up by the Party and not to agree on any consensus. 

5. That right there on the floor of the meeting when the matter came up, Chief (Bar) Chris Agara clearly expressed his reservations about the Consensus Option and declined to go along with it. 

6. That Chief (Bar) Chris Agara went further to point out the grave disrespect to some Governorship aspirants that the obvious ambush meeting entailed, by inviting them to a meeting for a specific purpose and then turning around to do something else. 

7. The Chris Agara Campaign Organisation will like to point out to His Excellency the Governor and the leadership of our great Party that while the Electoral Act allows the option of Consensus, it also prescribes that such agreements shall be in writing and shall be endorsed by all relevant parties concerned. 

8. To the best of our knowledge the meeting at Transcorp of the May 9th instant was merely a talk shop amidst good food and vintage liquor and should not be accorded any further importance beyond what it truly was. 

9. The Chris Agara Campaign Organisation assures its teeming supporters that Chief ( Bar) Chris Agara remains committed and competitive in the race and is prepared to pursue his Governorship aspiration to its logical conclusion. 

SIGNED 

BAR. RICHARD OGBECHE 

DIRECTOR - GENERAL