Wike’s influence questioned as APC denies receiving 27 Rivers lawmakers

DDM News

The All Progressives Congress (APC) in Rivers State has denied claims that 27 lawmakers defected from the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).

Rivers State, created in 1967, is a key oil-producing state in Nigeria’s Niger Delta region.

It has experienced political tensions, especially between powerful political figures like former Governor Nyesom Wike and current Governor Siminalayi Fubara.

The state’s politics often revolve around control of resources, governance disputes, and party defections, influencing its development and stability.

Chief Tony Okocha, the party’s leader in Rivers State, stated that the APC never officially received the lawmakers into its ranks.

He made this clarification during a press conference in Port Harcourt on Tuesday, addressing widespread speculations about the lawmakers’ defection.

According to Diaspora digital media (DDM), Okocha explained that the December 2023 event at the Port Harcourt Polo Club was not a reception for the lawmakers.

According to him, the gathering was meant to celebrate the formation of the APC state executive council.

He emphasized that the event was approved by the party’s national leadership and had no connection to the lawmakers’ alleged defection.

Okocha further stated that he personally invited the lawmakers as friends, not in their capacity as members of the Assembly.

His remarks contradict an earlier statement by the embattled Speaker, Martin Amaewhule, at the same event in December.

Amaewhule had declared that he and 26 colleagues had completed their defection process due to a division in the PDP.

He assured that credible evidence of this division would be made public at the appropriate time.

However, Okocha insisted that no official movement into the APC had taken place during or after the event.

He clarified that the APC had tried to persuade the lawmakers to join but had not yet succeeded.

“There was no plan to organize a reception for an event that never happened,” Okocha explained.

“The APC state executive council was inaugurated in Abuja, and we chose to celebrate it in Port Harcourt,” he added.

Okocha stated that people misinterpreted the gathering as a reception for the lawmakers’ defection.

He insisted that his invitations to the lawmakers were based on personal relationships, not political affiliations.

“We invited them as individuals, not as members of the Assembly,” Okocha explained.

He admitted that the APC had made deliberate efforts to woo the lawmakers into the party.

“We would have counted it as a victory if they had officially joined us,” he said.

He maintained that declarations made at public events or on social media do not hold legal weight.

“The law is not based on emotions; it is clear and specific,” Okocha emphasized.

He accused Governor Siminalayi Fubara of repeatedly ignoring legal rulings and undermining the judiciary.

According to him, the governor had refused to comply with a court ruling on the 2024 state budget.

Okocha claimed that the ruling required Fubara to re-present the budget before the Amaewhule-led House of Assembly.

He accused the governor of attempting to bypass legal procedures and running the state without an approved budget.

“You cannot present a budget before a three-man Assembly and expect it to be valid,” Okocha stated.

He referred to the Court of Appeal’s ruling, which dismissed the three-man Assembly as a mere “forum.”

Okocha argued that the governor’s refusal to recognize the ruling showed clear disregard for the rule of law.

“The era of strongman politics is over. The law must be obeyed,” he insisted.

He criticized senior lawmakers for allegedly misinterpreting legal judgments to serve their personal interests.

“There is no way a High Court can overrule a judgment from the Court of Appeal,” Okocha stated.

He warned that the governor’s actions were setting a dangerous precedent for governance in the state.

Okocha also mentioned former Governor Nyesom Wike’s influence in the ongoing political crisis.

He suggested that Wike’s legacy had contributed to the leadership style of Governor Fubara.

He accused the governor of following a path of political intimidation rather than democratic governance.

“The law should guide governance, not personal ambitions or political influence,” Okocha said.

He called on party members and Rivers residents to remain calm despite the political crisis.

He assured that the Supreme Court would soon deliver a final judgment on the matter.

“We remain hopeful that the Supreme Court’s ruling will bring clarity and resolution,” he stated.

Okocha urged all parties to respect the final decision of the apex court when it is delivered.

The APC’s stance on the issue is expected to escalate the political tension in Rivers State.

The party’s position further complicates the ongoing battle between the governor and the embattled lawmakers.

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