 River's APC sends warning shots to Buhari, Neck and Bolatinibu, and supporters show strength as political rallies hold across Nigeria. Tonight we discuss solidarity marches and their significance to the 2023 elections. This is FOSS Politics, I'm Mary Anacorn. The all-progressive Congress, APC and River State has sent warning shots to President Mohamed Buhari, the party's presidential candidate Ahmed Bolatinibu, and the National Executive Council urging them to address their grievances or lose their participation in next year's presidential election. As an interactive session convened by the party's National Vice-Chairman, South-South Victor Gyadam on Sunday night in Port Harcots River State, stakeholders accused the party leaders of working against the interests of a river's APC by their actions and inactions. Joining us to discuss this live is Subaya Eli, he's a legal practitioner and a member of the all-progressive Congress in River State. Mr. Eli, it's so good to have you join us, good evening. Good evening Mary Anacorn, it's my pleasure to join you tonight, good evening Nigerian. Great. Let's start by looking at the tone of this and of course the basis for which the APC in River State is putting out this warning. One would have said that the APC at this point will be trying to put its house together being that many, one of your very staunch former chairman had moved and of course moved to the PDP and then we also saw Senator Magnus Abe moving to the SDP. What exactly, first and foremost, is the state of the APC in River State? Next question, the APC, like every other political party rest of the Nigerian constitution, is not a secret cause and therefore there is a freedom of entry and freedom of exit. People move in accordance with their message interests. So, from that perspective, one would say that those who left, probably left not because the APC had collapsed, but maybe because they could not realize their expectations, maybe because they were in the baller for one office or another. Or maybe they left because some ethnic interests became a higher calling. But whatever is the reason, there have also been enough entries between then and now. I said that, you know, here are too much of those things making, because it's much more natural, standardized, more archaic big fishes. But going back to the issues in race, I just want to proceed. Talking about putting a house in order, in the corner on Sunday, the National Vice-Chairman South-South Chiefs of Sombar-E-Gaddon led a full executive committee of the party at the general level. And I've been going around the 6,000 states to check the health of the party in each of these state chapters. So when I arrived in Portugal on Sunday, you respect that the State Chairman is the maker of the game. And the Governor-Chief Candidate, architect of a party called, who happens to be the state coordinator in the Presbyterian Council for Asiwatu, who left Matinibu, who raised issues of concern for the state. And hundreds of party members will do that. If they're going to Delta states and then they do see the crossing line, the issues cannot be the same because we haven't seen it's the Governor's come to those states to have knobbed the position for any reason. So in the United States, the special could have been different. And hundreds of party members are given bounds to lay the complaints at the right quarters. And who would better take the reports of the state chapter than the general chairman to the national executive committee? Of course, the president would be the leader of the party. So within our constitutional rights to five complaints, as well as because those governors are leaders of the party in their own right, the members of NEC, and they know that the actual slouch after 2021 of the APC constitution. What exactly are these actions that you make reference to? Because I'm looking at this statement that was made by Mr. Gada. First and foremost, he talks about the fact that the government or rather the leadership of the APC is being seen to the leadership of the party's flag bearer rather, are seen to be hub-nobbing with Governor Yesung Wike. And do you see this as anti-party? Because of course, Governor Yesung Wike is a PDP member. Why is that so much of a bother for the people of river state? Of course, it's only rocket science to understand what that means. After the 2021 of the APC constitution lays very bare to the practical details. What constitutes anti-party? What do I do to undermine the interests of the party in the favor of an apportion party, qualifies of anti-party? For instance, the last time I was in this program, you were talking about another round of court cases that the apportion PDP led by Yesung Wike and filed again to the leadership of the power. So when these governors come to river state to meet Wike, are they discussing Wike withdrawing those cases? Or are they discussing about Wike supporting as well as the president? Now, if you don't know how that works for us, then you're not a party man. If you go to Lagos for instance, let's assume that considered that Richard Métis was the flag bearer of this, an APC for 2003 presidential elections. He arrived in Lagos and then goes to look for a general party or she will look for another party judge to seek support to the total exclusion of the APC in Lagos. It does not fit the party leader. It does not concern anybody. And goes walking straight in beds with PDP leaders in Lagos state. It actually would not be different. So we're not done anything. It's a one-less handling allowed there. The same thing happened in 2020. So are you saying that because Bola Métis was seeking to run for president in the country, he should one way or the other to be in enmity with members of other political parties who seem to be his friend, devoid of the fact that they are members of other political parties. They should not, in any way, have conversations with them, whether it be political reasons or not. Maybe that's absolutely wrong. You have misunderstood me. Nobody's talking about an enmity here. Nobody's talking about an enmity here. We must be able to draw a clear line between pursuing support from other Nigerians for a ticket and doing so to undermine the local chapter of the party. I saw an example here. As a speaker, the man that come to meet meets a party that's already in court with virtual element political party in reverse speech. It's in court with the APC. The PDP is in court with SVP. The PDP is in court with Labour Party. Go around this country. Go around the six districts in Abuja. If you find any matter in any federal high court, five by any PDP said chapter, it gets to the party. Only in reverse speech. And so because his work continues on 18, I will off the ballot and become an easy right for him. He's back again. So there is the stretch on of the PDP, that's on a cow, was in the federal high court, missing half assembly candidates who are members, missing local government chairmen and the party who is he was there, every central candidate. So they have a need to protect. So why would an APC leader come to the state while he goes to rule, he's a rookie, I'm not bad to support him, would never check on the party, they look at each other's party to know how we're firing. He was undermined us because he's chasing an interest. For God's sake, this is an election where the electorate has made it so easy for an agent to assign the power of the ballot when they choose to do so. We have all that potential spearheading in the field with a civilized leader and his hand last, be comfortable to find the APC leader state of not being with PDP, hopefully, of not being with APC, hopefully, all pressure candidates. It's not bad. So we have filed the report and we hope that victory together on the National Advice Chamber and Fast Out would take the message home and that we'll watch their reaction. You know how about Wilson, former British Prime Minister once, he said, in politics, in which it's like eternity, we'll have from now until February. So much can happen. If we think our interest does not matter, then I think that whoever thinks so, if it's a fight, do not forget. The first day chapter and I found to be corrected. There's no stage up of this party that paid the price that the APC United States for 2015 to date. No, and if anybody thinks... What exactly is the price that you're talking about because you sound like someone was crucified, but then explain to us what you mean by the APC and River State have paid the price up until now. What exactly is the price that they've had to pay? I will wait until I have my fingertips. Miran, I've come from a big amount look-up in the rare. During just membership registration, in 2014, when somebody was shot and killed in a Boromac compound with five bacana at the restoration grounds, that killing was so gory. His elder brother, Ombos Ombi, IK was arrived. After a while, God got him and defected from the party. Lies are fake. Before President Borey arrived, River State to flag off his campaign in 2015. Continents arriving in the Adulteria Municipal Graph Stadium from Kamaluku government, from Begumaluku government, from Malakutua government, were ambushed and shot up. This president visited the council and seen special reasons to go to commit suicide to the injured and gave them promises. Now, because of Kunau, the trained government of 2015, given the circumstances of the general factor, we couldn't have pointed out to the general, who will prosecute those non-criminal. Who are the end-of-the-mothers? The APC does understand that until you have the government's house, those mothers are walking away and those things is calling their people to bring their chest out to fight for this party. So you're saying that the APC has to be in power for justice to actually reign in River State. So is there no judiciary? I'm sorry, I'm sorry. The judiciary that is in River State, is it a PDP judiciary? Are you telling me that the lawyers who make up the bench, including you, are supposed to be people who only understand justice in light of a particular political party? Are you throwing all your colleagues under the bus here? Mera, I'm the attorney general of River State and Commissioner for Justice. It's an office created by the constitution, but appointed by a governor who is partisan. Of course, if I look at the party. So if the attorney general reversed it, first of all, to secure current reporting and police are investigated, what do you do? The attorney general has malnipot script powers. Again, I ask, you're telling me that the whole judiciary in River State is at the wings and caprices of one man who's an attorney general, a government appointee. I'm trying to understand where you're going with this. Please help me. Yes, no, Mera, listen, listen. If I talk about the judiciary, there's a key to the judiciary. The attorney general of the state, by law, will take over the criminal proceedings. Even if the police commences it. That's his power, malnipot script. The attorney general has the right to commence, to take over, to continue or discontinue the criminal proceedings. So if the attorney general comes and says to prosecute, you cannot prosecute. And for what I've seen this country, the federal attorney general cannot prosecute. So what this means is that the attorney general of the federation would only prosecute matters that would benefit the APC government other than every other Nigerian. If this is what you think is obtainable. Because whatever you say, one way or the other, is going to be interpreted as what's happening across the country. Because if you are making a case that the attorney general in your state and the whole judiciary is at his whims and caprices, you're also in turn saying that that's what's obtainable everywhere else, even at the federal level. You're wrong. And let me tell you why you're wrong. That's why I'm asking you. Whatever explanation you're giving me now, you have to be careful to make sure that it is legit and it's right. Let me explain to you why I said you're wrong. In the constitution of this country, there are offenses triable by different courts. Also offenses that certain categories of that you cannot issue to actual amount. In more than any state, it's triable by the police and the attorney general of that state. Not the federal attorney general. That other this government from 2015 to now, we must have had two attorney generals appointed by Wiki, the late, and now of course, at the end, but then I want to attend and not one person has been put on fire. But in this matter we're talking about here, in 2015, yes or we can, it's an action challenging the jurisdiction of the reverse election of the tribunals be moved to Abuja, it's not reverse it. By the Supreme Court, it dismisses that challenge of jurisdiction with a little finality. That reverse it was, quote, a test of war before shooting after the 2015 election. So these judges cannot sit in safety to have to address an election petition. How much more helpless voters? So these issues have been there. Okay. They're not normal. Let's come back to party politics here. Now you're holding, you are members of your political party. You're holding the feet of Mr. President to the fire. I'd like to quote exactly what your group said. Now they said that they're calling on the national chairman and President Mahmoud Bari to call the presidential candidate to order. And the group also said that the president and the candidate should stop dividing the APC and river state for personal interests. And you said that the APC and river state is a family. I'd like to ask again, what's the, I mean, since the leader of the APC in your state, of course, in the president of the former minister for transport, Raishan Abul-Rutimi and Meji, we haven't really heard after the APC presidential primaries from him, what is he doing as the leader of the party to guard against what you are all worried about? I mean, should he not be the one who's putting the house together? He should, he has a, he used to be an aide to Mr. President and he should be the one leading the charge for the presidential campaign in your state. So why are you directing your aggression to the candidates when you have somebody who's supposedly a go-between? Wait a minute, I don't understand. Raishan and Meji- Is the leader of your party- I have the same rights that I have in the APC. He was a minister. He was the governor. He's the leader of the party. Nothing in the APC's official state that only he can raise complaints to the quarter of his council. But he is the leader of your party. The former governor of legal state, excuse me, the former governor of legal state who is now a presidential standard bearer is a member of NEC. And in terms of discipline, there are procedures. You know, what the party leadership has done to the state chairman and the candidate of government security who happens to be the coordinator of the civil and political in the PCC for the rest of the state. To a core, it's very much another. They are also the complaints to the national vice chairman, South South. So a move from the state to the general level is only we have to take it to the national level. Is there proper truth? What has gone wrong? Is that what we're going to do to Amitji? Or whether he has said a thing or not said a thing? He invited primaries and came second. The vice president, who came third? He's not discussing, he's not coupling about what's going on with the state. They said the president, who came fourth? He's not discussing what's happening in the U.S. state. Because these issues are not there. And so if you happen in the U.S. state, it must not be the president Amitji that will talk. So with the constitutional powers to do so, I've spoken. And that's what is jamming. We should all look at the messenger. Let's look at the message. We saw these things coming in 2020 in those states. The governor, who was an APC governor, was forced to have decades to leave the party to go to the PDP against our warnings. At the end of the day, Governor Baskie left to that ticket, went to the PDP and defeated us. Because we were not listening. So when I heard the message in the body's ego, we're simply saying that when we raise the red flag, you must listen. Because we too have alternative in personal candidacy of the parties. We can also vote for votes. Okay. Let me go back to some of the things that were credited again to this, in this warning, warning shot to the neck and of course to the vote. I'd like to quote a statement here directly. In Ninesia West, I hope I got his name right. Now he said, In Ninesia West. Yes, in Ninesia West said that Tunibu cannot be sitting on the fence anymore when it comes to river state. He should come out and say where he belongs so that we who are still in the party know how we move. He also said, we're here ready to win election but Tunibu must make a class statement in river state. So I ask, how on the ground is the APC in river state? You lost elections in 2015, you lost elections in 2019. How certain are you that you can win river state for Tunibu? Well, let's assume that you don't follow river's quality. When they ask the question, how on ground are we? That's a very flawed assumption but I've let you slide. Let me clear it out. In 2015, we ran an election against the city presidents who are the proxy in the current government. The faster they are. I don't know the reaction. In 2019, they caught spotters. So building off on this PDP that is stopping its chest at the end of river state, there's really, really not been in direct contest. We adopted the kind of the APC, 24 hours of elections in 2019, in the best of engineer, people on Bahawara and all of the south state had elections completed. In 21 days, I ended up not declined so we can win now. We'll be invited as well for the backyard. To claim winner, we don't want to go through that. In 2016, we had re-run elections in at least two-thirds of the parliamentary seats, National Assembly and State Assembly. At the end of the last count, we had two senators. We had the Amin-Uber House of Representatives, Amin-Uber House of Assembly. It had a party that is on ground. In 2018, we had a run-off election, the by-elections were done in product consensus three. The end that could not declare is lost to this day. Because what is that amount to? In 2019, in 2019, the judiciary is also unable to announce the result. But I'm just, I'm clearly just asking, can you certainly say that you will be able to deliver the state for tonight? Megan, this election is about... It's a yes or no question, Mr. Eli. No, it's not a yes or no question. Can you or can you not? This is not, it's about the script written from the back room of somebody. The voters have the right to vote. And that is the unfair. The outcome of the results will show on the... For me, it's a yes. So it's not for us to sit and tell you, yes, you can deliver, not to deliver. It's both of the minus. You do that at a period. All right, well, Sewei Eli... For North-South West. North-South West is a candidate for the House of Representatives after the turn of federal constitution. His election will happen the same day without our civil adjustment, I can't believe you. So he's within his right on time to decide, to ask questions. Where does he kind of start? So he will know after the election campaign. All right. It's a simple thing to say. Sewei, we're out of time, but I want to say thank you. So Sewei Eli is a legal practitioner. I'm also a member of the APC in Riverside. Thank you so much for being part of the conversation. It's my pleasure. Thanks for having me as always. All right. Thank you. Thank you all for staying with us. We'll take a quick break now. When we return, we will be talking about solidarity matches that have been taking place across the country and outside the country. And we're talking about the significance that he will have on the elections come 2023. Stay with us. We'll be right back.