Chief Tony Okocha, a leader of the All Progressives Congress in Rivers State, has accused President Bola Tinubu of favoritism in allocating the state’s ministerial slot.
Okocha argues that Tinubu has no reason to give the slot to either former Minister of Transportation, Rotimi Amaechi, or Senator Magnus Abe, as both men undermined his election in Rivers State.
Instead, Okocha suggests that Tinubu should choose the immediate-past Rivers State governor, Nyesom Wike, as the minister from the state, as Wike supported Tinubu’s presidential ambition both financially and materially.
Okocha claims that it was an open secret that Amaechi worked for the Peoples Democratic Party candidate, Atiku Abubakar, while Abe supported the Social Democratic Party flag bearer.
‘’The point I’m making is neither Amaechi and his group nor Magnum Abe and his group worked for Tinubu. What helped us in Rivers State is the stupidity of the PDP, we all know. At the centre of that is the spin doctor, Nyesom Wike, governor of my state.
“Since the inception of the PDP in 1998, Rivers State has been a haven for the PDP. It has won elections back to back. Even when we were in government, PDP still defeated us (in Rivers).
“Wike gave instructions to his PDP family because they had no candidate to vote for. (He said) ‘Work with APC,’ and it was me they were coming to work with because I was the arrowhead (of the APC).
‘‘Abe had left, Amaechi had left. I’m bold to say that Wike took care of the election bills. He was the one that paid the piper. Without Wike’s huge support, material and financial, (Peter) Obi could have swept River State.
“Even to localise Wike to Rivers State, you are short-cutting and short-circuiting his influence. If the G-5 governors were intact with the PDP, PDP would have won.’’
However, the Publicity Secretary of the Rivers APC, Darlington Nwauju, who is loyal to Amaechi, dismissed Okocha’s comments, stating that he is not a member of the Rivers APC.
Chief Kadilo Kabari, an ally to Abe, also expressed concern over Okocha’s remarks, calling him a “serial betrayer” and a “shameless apologist of Wike.”
Article updated 2 months ago. Content is written and modified by multiple authors.
