APC mistreated members after taking money from them – Senator Abe

Senator Magnus Abe has revealed All Progressives Congress, (APC) members in Rivers were mistreated, after collecting money from them to participate in a state congress.

Abe was reacting to the Supreme Court judgment that validated the sack of party chairman loyal to him.

“The content of their judgments held that the matters should not have been litigated in the first place but ought to have been resolved by the leadership of the party, political parties being voluntary associations.

“It is important for Nigerians and the leadership of the APC, to remember, well and truly that the crisis that engulfed the party was not about party structure which was actually not in dispute.

“It was rather, about the treatment meted out to party members who felt betrayed when the very reason for which they voluntarily joined the party in pursuit of justice, fairness and respect for their rights, were dismissed with impunity, by the leadership.

“Party members, who paid monies for forms were not only denied their rights to participate in the congresses contrary to the Constitution of the party but were tear-gassed, and summarily excluded from all party activities and denied every privilege of membership.

“It was this exclusion and treatment that led to the emergence of alternative structures within the party.

“The battle to establish their rights and have the APC to acknowledge its wrong-doing led to the crises and to the Courts. The party, as all of us know paid dearly, almost fatally, for this indiscretion. The rest as they say, is history.”

He instructed his supporters to respect the court judgement and wait to see whether the party leadership will take steps to right the wrong done to them.”

Abe’s group has been at loggerheads with another led by Rotimi Amaechi, the minister for transportation.