All Progressives Congress (APC) in Rivers State, Chief Tony Okocha, has voiced his disapproval of President Bola Tinubu considering either former Minister of Transportation, Rotimi Amaechi, or Senator Magnus Abe for the state’s ministerial position. Okocha argues, News About Nigeria reports.
According to News About Nigeria, Okocha suggested that Tinubu should select the immediate-past governor of Rivers State, Nyesom Wike, as the state’s minister.
Speaking to journalists in Abuja, Okocha alleged that Amaechi openly supported the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) candidate, Atiku Abubakar, while Abe, who secured the governorship ticket of the Social Democratic Party (SDP), backed the SDP’s flag bearer.
Okocha, who served as Chief of Staff to Amaechi during his tenure as governor, stated, “Neither Amaechi and his group nor Magnus Abe and his group worked for Tinubu.
What aided us in Rivers State was the foolishness of the PDP, as we all know. At the heart of that was the spin doctor, Nyesom Wike, the governor of my state.”
“Since the establishment of the PDP in 1998, Rivers State has been a stronghold for the party, consistently winning elections.
Even when we were in power, the PDP still defeated us in Rivers,” Okocha continued.
He further revealed, “Wike instructed his PDP supporters to work with the APC because they had no candidate to vote for. They came to work with me because I was the face of the APC.”
“Abe had left, Amaechi had left. I boldly state that Wike took care of the election expenses. He was the one who footed the bill. Without Wike’s substantial support, both materially and financially, Peter Obi could have swept Rivers State.”
Challenging Okocha’s stance, Darlington Nwauju, the Publicity Secretary of the Rivers APC, who is loyal to Amaechi, dismissed Okocha’s credibility to speak on behalf of the Rivers APC.
Nwauju emphasized that Okocha was not a member of the party, urging verification of his membership status with the national secretariat and the Independent National Electoral Commission.
Nwauju added, “Whatever opinions or ideas he expresses to the media hold no significance for the APC in Nigeria and are nothing more than fictitious tales.”
Chief Kadilo Kabari, an ally of Abe, expressed concern over Okocha’s remarks, describing him as a “serial betrayer, conflict instigator, and shameless supporter of Wike.”
