Rivers: APC To Suspend Okocha, Others Over Anti-party Activities

The All Progressives Congress (APC) in Rivers State has recommended the suspension of a party chieftain, Tony Okocha, and others over alleged anti-party activities during the last general election.

The forum of elected APC ward chairmen in Rivers State disclosed this on Monday in Port Harcourt, in a communiqué signed by its Chairman, Ekpumogu Lucky Joshua, after an extraordinary meeting.

According to the forum, Okocha, former Chief of Staff to ex-Governor Chibuike Amaechi, and some members allegedly worked for the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in the state in the 2023 elections.

The forum lamented that some of its members, who had been compromised by the PDP, were the ones pushing for a parallel party structure in the state, adding that party members remain loyal to the leadership of Amaechi in the state.

The forum passed a vote of confidence on the suspended chairman of the party, Chief Emeka Beke, adding that those behind his suspension were bent on destroying APC to ensure PDP remained without opposition.

The communiqué read, “That having critically looked at Article 21(A)(IV) and identified breach of our Party’s Constitution in terms of fair hearing as those who have deemed complainants/petitioners are the same persons who appointed themselves into a fact-finding committee.

“We resolve to solidly adopt and endorse the vote of confidence passed on April 6th, 2023 by the Ward 3 executives of our party in Emohua LGA on the third congressionally elected chairman of the party, Chief Emeka Beke, and condemn the sponsored distractions and court cases targeted at making Rivers State a one-party state.

“We view this as a ploy to withdraw and/or canvass for the withdrawal of our cases at the Election Petitions Tribunal and selling off our party to the PDP as the complainants/petitioners should have known that even the most recent case of George Orlu & 4 others Vs INEC & APC decided by the courts in December 2022, the Court of Appeal in a lead judgement delivered by Justice Mohammed Lawal Shuaibu, frowned at party members rushing to court without first exhausting the party’s internal conflict resolution mechanisms.

“We reject every attempt at balkanising our party in the state by creating parallel structures, as anything done outside the duly recognised structure or organ of the party shall remain null and void.”