Intrigues as Ruling Party, APC, Rivers Chapter Now Backs Fubara

Blessing Ibunge in Port Harcourt

The political drama and intrigues playing out in Rivers State took a dramatic new twist yesterday when the court-reinstated Chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Rivers State, Emeka Beke,  declared the party’s support for the leadership of Governor Siminalayi Fubara of the state, insisting that two persons could not be governor in a state.

This new position by the state chapter of the ruling All Progressives Congress, is in sharp contrast to the confrontational approach under former Chairman of the party in the state, Chief Tony Okocha, an ally of the current Minister of the FCT, Neysom Wike who has since drawn battle lines with the Governor over control of the state.

This was as members of the Renewed Hope Family in the state, led by Chief Tony Okocha, yesterday, held a solidarity walk in the major streets of Port Harcourt, in support of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s policies and the Minister for Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Chief Nyesom Wike.

The battle for political supremacy in the state changed slight on Monday, when a Rivers State High Court presided by Justice Sika Aprioku, in Port Harcourt, sacked the Caretaker Committee of the APC in the state led by Okocha as inaugurated by the National Working Committee of the party and reinstated the Beke leadership of the party.

However, Beke, who declared the support during a live interview with Arise News, yesterday, exonerated the former Minister of Transportation, Chibuike Amaechi of allegedly sponsoring Fubara in the political crisis in the state.

Specifically reacting to the judgement, Beke alleged that Okocha was playing the script of Wike to make the state ungovernable for Fubara.

“What do you expect to hear from somebody who has already failed? I don’t have contact with any judge in Rivers State. We waited and followed due process, and by the grace of God, we got that judgment yesterday. The hope of the common man is the judiciary, and the judiciary has given judgment.”

“Tony Okocha is not a member of APC. He was. He is coming to play a script for someone, and it won’t work. He is playing Nyesom Wike’s script. Wike’s script wants to control both PDP and APC in Rivers State. Wike is not a member of our party. He brought Tony Okocha and the caretaker members.”

Speaking on his loyalty to the APC and how he would ensure the unity of the party, Beke noted the need to also support the governor to achieve relative peace and development in the state.

He assured the people that if the governor extended hands of fellowship to his party, they would support him to ensure Rivers State becomes an enviable state, through the promotion of development across the local government areas of the state.

His words: “Fubara is the governor of Rivers State, and you cannot have two governors. Even if you give your biological son the position as governor, then you should allow him to function in it.

“If he extends a hand of fellowship to APC, we will work with him and develop the state. We can’t continue fighting. Rivers is going backwards. We have finished the politicking. It’s now time for governance.”

Beke disclosed that he would be organising a stakeholders’ meeting of the party later this week, emphasising the need to prepare ahead of local government election slated to hold in October this year.

Meanwhile, Okocha led the rally which commenced at about 8am from the Polo Club in the Government Residential Area through the major Aba Road, to the Government House axis and then terminated at the Port Harcourt Club on Forces Avenue.

Speaking, he urged the people of the state and Nigerians to be patient with President Tinubu, saying his policies would right the fortunes of the country in due time.

He said the group which was under the leadership of Wike was determined to support the President achieve success in his transformation and progressive development in country.