 Former senator and governorship aspirants for the all-progressive Congress Magnus Abbey refutes reports that he dumps the all-progressive Congress APC and his governorship ambition. And, Governor of Lagos State Babajideh Songolu is declared winner of the all-progressive Congress APC's governorship primaries for the state to run as two other aspirants were denied clearance to partake in the primaries. Well, this is Plus Qualities, a Diablery and a Con. Former senator and governorship aspirant of the all-progressive Congress Magnus Abbey has announced that reports that he has dumped the party are false. Abbey, who represented Revis Southeast District in the upper chamber of the National Assembly, said he will contest the Revis State governorship elections in 2023. Abbey, however, vowed to challenge the outcome of the indirect primary mould adopted by the former minister of transportation, Rotimi Amici, for the party's governorship primary in Port Hackett. He said and I call the indirect primary being conducted today by the former minister of transportation and his cronies in APC and River State clearly does not meet the standard. He noted that he will not accept the outcome, neither will he be bound by it, Abbey stated. Now joining us to discuss this is Tony Okocha, former chief of staff, River State, and Isaac Obola, he is of the River State APC. Thank you very much, gentlemen, for joining us. Gentlemen, can you hear me? I think that we have a connection problem. Can you hear me, Mr Okocha? Well, we will try to get the gentlemen back on the conversation. We'll take a quick break. While it's still plus politics and joining us is Tony Okocha, former chief of staff, River State, and of course Isaac Obola, who is the APC Ketika chairman in River State. Thank you, gentlemen, for joining us. Can you hear me now? Okay, perfect. I'll start with you, Mr Okocha. Apparently, Senator Magnus Abbey is saying that he did not necessarily leave the APC. I remember the last time I spoke with the senator here, he did say that nobody was capable of pushing him out of the party. But then we see him saying that he does not accept the mode of the primaries in River State. And of course, he's still insisting that he will be participating in the governorship elections come 2023. My question is, how is that going to happen, especially with the APC in your state saying that Mr Tony Oko is their flag bearer officially? Mr Okocha, can you hear me? Yeah, your network is good, you are coming in pieces. Okay, so I'm asking how the senator would want to participate in the governorship elections come 2023, as he has said, even as he has dropped out of the gubernatorial race. I mean, the party has already said that Mr Tony Oko is their flag bearer officially come 2023. How is this supposed to happen? Okay, thank you. If I got the right, let me start by correcting the misconception of the decision of the citizens of Mahmood's party, because yesterday our post went on the day we called, saying to him that he is withdrawn from the APC and governorship of River State. And that is a fact, big lie. That is not an issue. The issue is that we said we are not going to participate in an already skewed process, a process for which you have already known the result, and we say we are not going to participate. And it does not translate to withdrawal, because we have respect for the party and we are safe as in the past, we say we are not going to participate, because it's like you going to play football match, and just at the center of the pitch you see at the other scoreboard, that you are already 3-0, 3 goes down. And so how do you start at the football match? So the misconception is what are you first of all want to debunk? Mahmood is still a Bonaparte members, Nigeria, River State chapter, and is very much interested to govern the group of people of River State, come to the 123, and we are very much on course. So my question is, how does he intend to do that? Yes, he's dropped out of the primaries, which he called skewed. But then the APC has acknowledged that Tonya Cole is their flag-bearer for 2023. How does the senator hope to pursue this if he indeed says he will run in 2023? The party has to at some point declare him a flag-bearer. How will that happen? Yes, can you hear me? Mr. Kocher, can you hear me? Okay, I'm going to talk to Mr. Bogula, because Mr. Kocher, I think you're having difficulties hearing us. Mr. Bogula, I'd like to find out from you exactly what transpired yesterday, even though Senator Magnus Abbey has called the primaries that was conducted in your state yesterday skewed. I've lived in River State before. First, let me correct the impression that I'm still the category of the chairman. No, we need the first category of the chairman of the party in the state. Okay. There is a new chairman on board, high chief, the McCabeke, is a substantive chairman of the party in the state. I think that should be very well noted. Okay, now moving forward, I'm also pretty simple as it is that Senator Magnus Abbey is entitled to the decisions and actions that you would like to take with respect to the next party in the state issues. For instance, he said that he was not going to participate in the process. It's perfectly, he tried to say that that will not stop anything from happening. The primaries took place on yesterday at the Amidia Mecca Stadium and a winner emerged. Other aspirants participated and then there was a result. In fact, the name of Senator Magnus Abbey was on the panel too. He was announced as part of the presidential contestant because he did not write officially to INEK or to the party. He went on social media and other media platforms to say what he wanted to say. But he didn't write officially to say that he was not participating in the process. So INEK, it means thanks to INEK of clear aspirants. After the screening, I know what was due to conduct the primaries. And it's got two, one or two, I don't know whether it's got any votes at all. So there was a big winner at the end of the day yesterday and that is architect Tonya Kuhu. Other aspirants got votes too in their favor. Thank you. I'd like to ask you some things to debunk some of the things that the Senator said. Now, the Senator had said that the process in itself was hijacked by the Minister of Transportation. He also said that the modus operandi, in other words, the mode of conducting that primary was not necessarily something that was agreed to and that it was skewed. Where all the candidates told about the mode of that primary, were they all in agreement as to how the primary was going to play out? Is this something that everybody gave a nod to, including the Senator? It's important for us to get this very correct and right. First, everything that has to do with party primaries is a national event. The publications and all of that from notices are from the national to the INEK and other relevant agencies. The states, all the states need to do is to notify AI deck of the venue. And the venue was newly notified to INEK. Every party member knew the venue. So I don't understand if they did that. Magnus Arde wanted a special notice to himself. There is no such provision anywhere, whether in the constitution of the party, constitution of the congress, or in the electoral, as a law. So I don't understand the argument that is putting up there. In any event, the steps, the processes to be taken at every turn were scheduled by the national. And it's across the entire, it was across the entire 36 states, including the FPPs. So, Mr. Obama, you're telling me that the national had the right to tell you what mode your primaries would take, whether it was direct or indirect. This was the call of the national as opposed to the state? Yes, yes, the national takes that kind of decision. Where you hold the national take back, you say, it's not a state affair. The state does not conduct primaries. National will send the officers from the national to come and supervise and send the results to them. Interesting. Let me bring back Mr. Kocha into the conversation. Mr. Kocha, are you still there? Can you hear me? Mr. Kocha, can you hear me? Can you hear me? Perfect. Yes, I can hear you clearly. I'm sure that you listened to what Mr. Bobula is saying. Again, the senator had alleged that the process yesterday was skewed. It was hijacked by the Minister of Transportation and his cronies. But Mr. Bobula is saying that everything that happened went in accordance with what the national had prescribed for yesterday's event. But your leader is saying that the reason why he pulled out is because this was hijacked. So enable us to understand why, if the senator was in the know about the modus operandi, why he's crying foul right now. Yes, he is not a mad man. And for somebody who purchased from the neighborhood of 50 million Nairang, to aspire to be governor and to aspire to be candidate of political party, you know that it's not a chess play. And so he's fully abreast with the processes. But let me tell you, yeah, there are processes that have bettered the governor that was announced by APC National for the whole of the country, that has since been included in Abu Dhabi yesterday. We are saying that that of Riverside never helped. How do you mean that's of Riverside never helped? The reason why we say that it never helped was that, what they call the special, it never helped in the eyes of the law. All right. And so just listen to me and get the reason why I say it never helped. Now, there was supposed to be a special congress. That special congress was to be held on the 17th and 18th of May. The special congress since would have been delegates who asked me to candidates of the party to follow up in the world of traditional media and social media, that that process never helped in Riverside. It was against, it was against. I'm sorry, Mr. Koccha, we're having connection issues with you and we're unable to hear you. We'll try to get you back on the line. But in the meantime, let's go back to Mr. Bubula. Now, going forward, Mr. Bubula, I know I want to take you back to 2019. In 2019, we had a similar situation and it seems like old wounds are being reopened again. The party seems to have been at this place before. It's some form of deja vu. There was a stalemate during the congresses. It's the same thing that happened last year when the congresses were held. The senator kept saying that the situation or the process in itself was skewed. And then, of course, we know what happened in 2019. The party in itself lost out on all the tickets. And then here we are again, four years down the line. Why has it taken the APC in Riverside so long to come to some form of agreement or compromise or a conversation of sorts? Between the Magnus Abbey side of the party and the party as a whole, why has it taken so long to address this issue that keeps cropping up every time you have primaries or when you have congresses? Every time. Thank you. First, let me correct a very random question. The honorable minister of transportation, former honorable minister of transportation, did not hijack any process. He was not in charge of any process at any stage. Everything that happened prior to the primaries and also the primaries for government chiefs were scheduled, fixed, supervised, conducted by the national. It's important that you care this fact. The sale of forms was open to every party member. In fact, even non-party members because at the point of selling forms to you, nobody knows. You don't present anything. You just pick up a form and all of that. They bought their forms in Abuja and those who, for those the ones that were told that state secretaries, they approached the state secretaries and bought their forms. So that was very clear. And then two, there is a difference between 2019, the events of 2019 and 2022. We must get that very clear. The narrative is not the same. The scenarios are not the same. Yes, if you want me to go back down the remain, I will tell you that what was the issue in 2019 was the issue of the expo of the party. The expo of that particular party where Ojikayi admits as a party chairman. And some persons complained that they were denied access to portraits of forms. And they pay for forms in the bank but they are not allowed to access forms. And so somebody went to complain that it was excluded. And then they caught. In each one we've done, nullify the process. And so if we do not have an escrow, then how can we minimize the party affairs? We even elect the party candidates and all of that. That will not happen in 2019. In 2022, every person has access. So the narrative is not the same. You know, Tom Agnews has been chosen by himself on social media not to participate. He can't make any communication to any portal. And in law, he cannot, you see, not having participated. We have formal channels and social circles. If you want to withdraw, if you don't want to participate, all of that will follow. And if you did not, then you think you have participated and you are failed to hopefully. Well, the senator has also I'm sorry, the senator has also mentioned that he would follow up this case you know, in the courts of competent jurisdiction. And this again, I ask, how do you make sure that this does not give the APC another fall before the elections proper? You didn't really answer my question. I asked, why has it taken this long to address the issue between the main party itself and of course, the followers of Senator Magnus Abbey? Why has the party not called for a conversation of sorts, a handshake across the table, to deal with this issue? Because I'm asking, as a house that is not together cannot really fight a formidable force as a viable opposition knowing that the PDP is in charge in your state. How does the APC intend to unseat the PDP in River State if these issues are not addressed? That was what I asked. To Magnus, Abbey is free to go to courts. When we get to that bridge, we will cross it and the people are being going to court all along. From 2019 up to 2020, recently they've been going to court. So it's not a new thing to ask. If you're asking why it's taking so long for there to be communication meetings and supporters and all that, that's not correct. There have been meetings, there have been consultations, there have been committees set up at the national level, at the regional level, and at the state level. The national set up server comes in including that one headed by Isekale C. Oyegun, former governor of a dosage. Several layers of meetings, several layers of consultations. But can you say that those presentations and meetings have yielded anything? And somebody just refused to be a party man. And when you say he's refused to be a party man, what exactly does it mean to be a party man? Senator Abbey continuously says that nobody will push him out of the party and that there are moves to do that. But I keep asking, if you've had consultations, you've had meetings, how fruitful have those meetings been? Because if you've not been able to address an issue and it's still lingering, does that not mean that all of those committees have failed? You can take a horse to the train, but you cannot follow the horse to the train. What is important is that people have, platforms have been provided for people to talk. Because there's three major committees and panels and bodies have been set up at different levels. People have attended and taken, have come out of those processes. If you refuse to accept it, it's up to you. Okay. We cannot, we can't, I mean, heaven should not fall because you have refused, you have refused to accept the process. I think we have. It's up to him. Okay. I think we have Mr. Tony O'Cocha back. Mr. O'Cocha, can you hear me? I think we lost that connection again. Unfortunately, we'll take a quick break and when we come back, we'll get Mr. O'Cocha on the line to speak with us. Stay with us. Still talking about the outcome of the River State APC primaries that held yesterday. And of course, we've been speaking with Tony O'Cocha, former Chief of Staff, River State Government, and of course, Isaac O'Bobola, former APC Caretaker Chairman. Now, Mr. O'Cocha, we lost you for a bit and Mr. O'Bobola has been making an interesting case. He's saying that one of the reasons why the Senator, or rather because I asked a question about why we've had this lingering issue of Senator Magnus Abbey and his followers, continuously being allegedly left out of processes within the party. And I ask why there has not been an opportunity for these conversations to be had to, for you to be able to make a, you know, a point to the big party which is the PDP that you are, you know, positioned to. And he has said that several times the party has made moves to try to reconcile the Magnus Abbey faction of the party and there has been an outright refusal for that to happen. And so I'm asking, is the APC ever going to be able to run and win elections in River State if these issues are not being addressed? Oh, thank you so much. But you know, I am worried that the rest of the year is physical but something that I can hear you right now. And I'm happy to admit that I am pleased on this conversation with my friend about it as well. I need a bubble up. And I worry that the discussion why it has been impossible for these issues is the only reason why the party can try to come together. And I say so because or a bubble up has never done so much. We all are pleased with him because the court said so that was just the first demand of the APC at one point. Although we also knew that he won. We were frank with him and he was adamant that he would be there. He told me that he won and said a message to the group actions. I was part of those who were there to that meeting. And the meeting was invited and was followed by the residents of the former government of River State. In fact, he was at a church. In that meeting, a bubble up was just going through and ready to go to the judge in a very sweet manner. He said the essence of the meeting was for us to see whether we can fight in peace where the two parties or the two actions will please together and work together at one. And I will not agree with all of you because for the first time I have to go there. We have not met ourselves together. We will not share the sorrow of the daily things and simply at the great end of the chair between our other brothers on the other side of the design. We have a opportunity I think about that later on. And what if sometimes we ask the system if you think you are convinced in the other room inside the living of the party on your own side of the design to be a one of these people. I want to ask all of us and I hope that you hear me now. I want to ask all of us about the design. What I call the meeting of that magnificent group that we need to continue to the community being aware of the meeting. And the fact that you are saying something from me, right? Now, beyond him we have one or a one of those I think I was I think I was I think I was who is also from the last side of the design. Who is also I think I was I think I was a bubbler friend. I think it is all about I think it is not about I think it is meeting without letting it be a I think it is meeting and I think it is meeting and the only thing I know is that it is still alive. But if you don't have seen the meeting or that decision that someone came out of the meeting and died on him. And on our own side of the design you know the week and I just saw the country and that people are aware of the difference. I was probably saying before we were all at the meeting. And my mind was my team member we should again be listening and I was telling the decision to not be doing the bank also buying and giving. She needs to be aware of that right away. Who I met out of I was at the meeting also to be treated that for the time it was sent to the court. How is this court essentially the court meeting we are dealing with all. We are John Adonabu hearing over the last week I have not been looking as Kermit got to a man who all I see to him. Now the people who are making we all agree well you went to them we are tired of each time. What is this whole problem about? We need to be we need to run together on the level to be able to run a permissible position to PGT in the last week. And we spoke okay what we do to agree that we are going to have a concentration of women that will buy in on all of us. If that was because there was no need for us to go to the field and give the price of daily for the rest of the work Congress I thought that was giving us the entire process. Based on that we are seeing so a common community to a place and the cost to both on their own human one character had to live as a leader of the community and one right was very very was a race was the leader of that community. On our own path we had we had uh and we had uh uh in 5 18 some of them got out of our family as women who had already a role in the field some of them not have that in our own side of the view of the divide all of them were asked to go and look at the most of the revenue all of them were asked to look at the routine of our human what do you what do you need do and they were going back to the price of the price in breaking so giving the process for the Congress like like that that you know we want to hear that in that meeting that was we convened for a five days it's breaking for the day for the Congress okay it's from the team members showed up or every member of our group who are some of the whether the back to the community has been we are also present so our schedule on sound side only after that when after that attended the meeting they told me back of the team we are always present they had decided to agree an agreement on what to do you know that this would be the result we were going back to the we were going back to the and to the you know that you know that you know that you know that you know that you know that you know that you know that so Mr. Koccha you're saying that you're saying that they reneged on an agreement that was made in series of meetings that you had you're saying that the other side had reneged on this agreement and that's why there's the meeting was I'm doing by myself I don't know what to do I thought it was me doing I can deny it let's talk about the way forward because we're running out of time I feel a bit like I said at the beginning it seems like a deja vu it seems like a problem that doesn't want to go away because every single election cycle we keep coming back to having this conversation since 2019 every time there's either what congress or state congresses we are back here again and so what is the way forward because there has to be I'm guessing that you want that to be if the APC must hold any office whatsoever going forward in river state and that's the same question I asked Mr. Wobula what do you think the way forward will be because time is ticking and it might run out if something is not done is it me no I'm asking Mr. Kocha this now because I think I asked you that question earlier thank you um um please my dear sister very thank you for this great time you know on to the stop after because I don't know what to do on to the stop because the stop will after it the after it will hide down the after it will will hide down the after it will hide there will be that will if it's you its if you if you if you if you have we have a friend that we we have told them we are looking already we have not got this the original party or plan I'll tell you we didn't like didn't have the business of parties we had be blessed for all persons to another legal party so of course we have we have had a lot of of the the meaning of this party to your property and party. And we don't want the party to be for the reason. You have to work with them to be a equal party. And the thing that you should do is make it easy to be equal in terms of time. It is for the private people. And the other time, the more they get to that point, like if they decide to start this way, that is a political party, not a decision-close, then you will not make a decision. Okay, I'm fine. We want to agree that this is a political party. And on the other side of the political party, if a big candidate can go to a lecture on the side of the needs of governments, you will not make a decision. Okay, okay. I think that the decision-close, the other side of the political party, you can see the rematch of the political party. You see the same thing the same way and you are trying to turn the judge. The other side is not. But when there is a problem, you will be in the right to let out. How will you be putting the problem? How do you put the problem at the right? Because we are not having the right to let out. Because we are running out of time, I have very little time left. I have a few seconds. So I'm going to pose this last question to Mr. Buobula. Mr. Buobula, do you think the- Yes, I want to rephrase it. Do you stand a chance at this rate? Like I said earlier on, Ohio's divided against itself cannot stand. And you have the PDP to contend with. They have had their own issues, of course. But what do you do going forward? Thank you. Our cases have never been better than we have it today. But let me quickly clear this. First, I did not hear even one thing, all the things that the chief prosecutor was saying. Because apparently he's saying in an enclosure where it's echoing so much, I didn't hear anything. But I heard from your question when you asked whether there was an agreement between the prime minister and the minister of the party. There was no such agreement and it's time to be corrected. No agreement between the prime minister. But he did make mention of the fact that you convened the meeting, Mr. Buobula. He made mention right here that you convened that meeting and there were agreements that were made to bring two people each from each side of the divide. And that was done. But that you reneged on your side of the deal. So you're saying you had no idea about what happened or this meeting that transpired? No, no, no. To that extent, yes, we had that meeting. We agreed and we all nominated our people who went to the party secretaries and every specific firm supervised by the two sides. And we won when we went for the primaries and all of that. We considered a part of it and they participated. That's why there is no complain of exclusion when it came to the party structure. That was at that stage. So there was, that if he's talking about an agreement, he's doing it one Saturday and some of the other, there's no such agreement. But the one that we had in the several meetings that we had, we fulfilled our part of it. All right. And we won that fairly in the fringe. Unfortunately, our time is fast-spent. I want to say thank you to Tony O'Cochat. Tony O'Cochat. I'm sorry, gentlemen, we have to go. Unfortunately, our time is fast-spent. Tony O'Cochat is former chief of staff, the River State government, and Isaac Buobula is a former River State APC caretaker chairman. As we take this break when we come back, we will be talking about the outcome of Lagos State APC primaries yesterday. Stay with us.