By Daniel Edu
The Rivers State chapter of the All Progressives Congress (APC) is embroiled in a fresh crisis, as a faction aligned with the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Nyesom Wike, seeks to sideline former Minister of Transportation, Rotimi Amaechi, and his supporters.
Tony Okocha, leading Wike’s faction, recently visited the APC national chairman, Dr. Abdullahi Umar Ganduje, where he called for Amaechi’s marginalization within the party. Okocha accused Amaechi of making a deal with the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) presidential candidate, Atiku Abubakar, ahead of the February 25 election, urging APC members to campaign for and vote for Atiku.
Furthermore, Okocha urged the National Working Committee (NWC) led by Ganduje to route any party appointments or benefits for the Rivers APC through Wike, a former governor of Rivers State and a PDP member.
In response, Amaechi’s media aide, Chukwuemeka Eze, vehemently refuted Okocha’s claims, labeling them as baseless falsehoods. He asserted that neither Wike, Okocha, nor any other individual has the authority to expel Amaechi from the APC.
Eze clarified, “That statement is not only a lie but a part of their tactics to tarnish Amaechi’s image before the APC leadership, to maintain their own interests. Tony Okocha and his associates abandoned the APC during the 2023 general elections by failing to revalidate their APC membership cards. Amaechi could not have directed a non-member of the APC to vote against the party.”
Eze continued, “I urge Nigerians and journalists to disregard any statements concerning the Rivers State APC from Tony Okocha and his group. Amaechi remains a respected member of the APC and a prominent leader in the South-South region until such time as it becomes necessary for him to change parties.”
He concluded firmly, “Wike, Okocha, or any of their associates cannot and will not have the power to remove Amaechi from the APC, either as the regional party leader or as a significant member, despite all their scheming.”
