Amaechi’s Men Kick As Wike Draws Nearer APC

The Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Nyesom Wike, might be inching closer to joining the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) following a meeting between his loyalists within APC and the National Working Committee (NWC) of the party led by Dr. Abdulahi Ganduje.

Recently the media was awash with reports that Wike would soon join APC.

Nevertheless, the news of Wike’s impending arrival did not go down well with the faction of the party loyal to a former Governor of Rivers State and the immediate past Minister of Transportation, Hon. Rotimi Amaechi, who immediately kicked against it.

However, the ruling party recently included the name of Wike in the campaign council for the Bayelsa state governorship election slated for November 11, which further gave credence to his planned defection to the ruling party. Alhough the party later retracted.

But the meeting between the leadership of APC Rivers State and the NWC was held at the national secretariat yesterday in Abuja.

The delegation led by Tony Okocha, a former Chief of Staff to Amaechi told Ganduje that whenever they wanted to be considered for appointments, the party should contact Wike who he described as the “political infantry” in the state.

Okocha expressed dismay that a faction of the party in Rivers State led by Tonye Cole and Dakuku Peterside recently paid courtesy visit to the NWC, lobbying for political appointments despite working against the party.

He alleged that prior to the election,  Amaechi called a meeting where he informed them that he had struck a deal with the presidential candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Atiku Abubakar and directed them to vote the PDP against the party’s candidate, Bola Tinubu.

Okocha said: “In Rivers State, the leader of the slant which Cole and Dakuku, et al, belonged, had helmed up alliances with the PDP Presidential Candidate, HE, Atiku Abubakar. Atiku and not Tinubu should be voted for in the presidential election.

“This wicked resolve against the APC in Rivers was openly announced in a meeting at the instance of the leader at his private residence in Port Harcourt, thickly attended by Mr. Cole, Dakuku, Chukwudi Dimkpa, et al, members of the innermost caucus.

“It was handed down that Tinubu must fail in Rivers State. They were mandated to transport to their supporters in the 6,868 polling units, 319 wards and 23 local government areas in Rivers State.

“We have pictorial, visual and individual testimonies to this. So,  how did they contribute to the party’s presidential victory in Rivers State and unable to deliver their members who contested National Assembly elections on the same day?”

Okocha said since 1999, PDP had always won both the presidential and governorship elections back to back in Rivers State,” he said.

He added: “How did APC win the presidential election in Rivers State, while the PDP won 13 out of 15 federal constituencies in Rivers State, losing one to the APC and One to the Labour Party?

“How did the PDP win all three   Senatorial seats in Rivers State? How did PDP trounce the APC to a distant second position in the governorship election in Rivers State?

“What magic could have made it impossible for the PDP not to win the Presidential Election in Rivers State, even after Amaechi, et al, voted for the PDP in their units and wards?” he queried.

Okocha therefore challenged them to show the results of the Presidential election in their various polling units when next they come to the party secretariat.

He noted that their incessant visits  to the National Secretariat of the party smack of sinister motives, saying otherwise, why should the essence of their visits, not bother on how the fragmented APC Rivers would be rebuilt.

According to him, why the rush to Abuja, assuming there are skirmishes in APC Rivers to resolve? Is the Rivers State APC chapter in controversy with the National APC? Why is the knack for benefits palpable in their presentations?

Okocha maintained that they never supported the party nor were they sincere in their hearts to be happy that President Tinubu made it to the presidency.

He stated that: “Mr. Chairman, we summarise that the only group in APC Rivers State legitimate to seek compensation for the victory of APC/Tinubu in RIvers State, is the one here. Please contact us for our dues and appointments through the leader of the Political infantry in Rivers State, who is serving in the Federal Cabinet presently.”

Responding, Ganduje urged the political actors in the state not to overheat the polity amid the suspense on Wike joining the APC.

Source: THISDAY

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