A disqualified aspirant for the Rivers State House of Assembly under the All Progressives Congress, Dr. Legborsi Yamaabana, has said he and other affected politicians are consulting with grassroots supporters and would contest the election on another platform.
Yamaabana, while reacting to his disqualification from the APC screening process, described the action as a major setback for the party, insisting that key political figures who were excluded remain the “energy” of Rivers politics.
According to him, the disqualification of popular aspirants could negatively affect the chances of the party and its candidates in future elections.
“Whatever they are contemplating for doing this, whatever they have done has a huge disservice to that political party. People like myself, people like Hon. Chijioke Ihunwo, people like Hon. Sokari Goodboy, we know we are the energy of this state,” he said.
He argued that his presence on the ballot would have contributed to the electoral success of the APC at different levels, including the presidential and governorship elections..
“We are in a political party, trying to come in to make you win election because I being on the ballot has a ripple effect of making Mr. President win, making whoever is the governorship candidate of the party win and you are telling us we are not qualified to be in the party,” he stated.
Yamaabana also faulted the party for allegedly failing to provide clear reasons for his disqualification, maintaining that he was confident of emerging victorious during the primaries.
“If you disqualified me, give me a clear cut reasons for disqualifying me. My thinking had been that we will all be cleared to go and contest the primaries because I know nobody can beat me at the primaries,” he added.
The aspirant further revealed that consultations were ongoing with youths and grassroots supporters across the state, hinting at an imminent political move outside the APC.
