Rivers: APC Factional Leader Urges Wike to Join Party

By Kelechi PAUL, Port Harcourt

Factional leader of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Rivers State, Chief Tony Okocha, has called on the immediate past governor of the state, Chief Nyesom Wike, to defect to the APC.

Rumours of Wike’s likely move to the APC, from the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), have become rife in the state in recent weeks.

The APC factional leader, Okocha, who made the call during a media briefing in Port Harcourt, said Wike played a prominent role during the last presidential election that led to President Bola Tinubu’s eventual victory.

Okocha, who was chief of staff to former Governor Chibuike Amaechi, claimed that without Wike’s efforts during the presidential polls, Tinubu would not have emerged as the winner of the election.

He also claimed that some APC members in the state abandoned the party for their selfish gains, while alleging that the APC members worked against the interest of the party and its presidential candidate, Bola Tinubu.

Okocha stressed the need for ‘those who worked assiduously for the victory of the party to benefit first before any other person who abandoned the party and ran away,” adding that Wike “stood firm and mobilized for Tinubu’s victory.”

He expressed dissatisfaction with the fact that “those who ran away and abandoned APC and Tinubu in the state are now running around seeking for political appointment.”

Okocha said that the Wike’s defection to the APC would make the party stronger, “considering his capacity and the role be played to ensure that Tinubu emerges as president.”

He added that “the former governor is not only coming to APC, but to come and take over the leadership of the party.”

 Okocha further commended APC supporters in the state for “standing firm with Tinubu despite the intimidation and other attempts from different quarters to frustrate them.“