The leadership of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Rivers State has officially rejected the claims of 27 members of the Rivers State House of Assembly who announced their defection to the party. The lawmakers, led by Rt. Hon. Martins Amaewhule, were initially elected under the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) banner.
Their defection is linked to the ongoing conflict between the current governor, Siminalayi Fubara, and former governor Nyesom Wike, who now serves as the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT).
During a press conference in Port Harcourt, Rivers APC caretaker committee chairman Chief Tony Okocha stated that the 27 lawmakers, who are loyal to Wike, do not have membership in the APC.
Okocha asserted, “The House of Assembly members have repeatedly stated that they are not members of the All Progressives Congress, and I confirm that they are not. We are attempting to engage them and encourage them to join us, as we have noticed internal issues within their party.”
He emphasized that there is no official record of their defection, expressing his wish that they had indeed joined the APC.
In light of the recent Edo State governorship election, Okocha expressed confidence that the APC aims to secure victories in Rivers and Delta States by 2027, projecting that the party will eventually govern all six states in the South-South geopolitical zone.
He stated, “I thank God for our successes in Edo State, and we believe we can replicate this in Rivers and Delta in 2027. The South-South will have APC governors at the appropriate time.”
Okocha criticized the upcoming local government election scheduled for October 5, 2024, calling it a blatant disregard for the judiciary and legal system. He noted that the APC has filed a lawsuit to prevent the election from proceeding.
As a member of the board of the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC), Okocha remarked on the current state of affairs, suggesting that the local government election may not occur as planned.
“The proposed local government election shows a lack of respect for the Courts and the laws of the land. The issue is currently before the Court, and there is no indication that the election will take place in the next week,” he stated. “The governor should stop misleading the people. It is impossible to hold the local government election while the matter is still pending in Court and the ruling has not been vacated.”
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