March 10, (THEWILL) – The crisis within the Rivers State chapter of the All Progressives Congress (APC) deepened on Monday as rival factions clashed over calls for Governor Siminalayi Fubara’s resignation.
The faction led by Tony Okocha had issued a 48-hour ultimatum for the governor to step down, citing alleged disrespect for President Bola Tinubu and claiming that the Supreme Court had provided enough grounds for his impeachment.
“As a political party, we are advising the governor: there are two options—resign honorably or face impeachment. He has disrespected Mr. President, and we cannot stand by and watch that happen. The Supreme Court has given us more evidence, and the House of Assembly does not need another committee to investigate him. In fact, 48 hours is too generous,” Okocha declared during a press briefing at his private residence in Port Harcourt.
However, the Emeka Beke-led faction of the APC swiftly dismissed Okocha’s statement, urging Rivers residents to ignore what it described as the rantings of a “conflict entrepreneur.”
In a counter-statement, APC Publicity Secretary Darlington Nwauju accused Okocha of lacking legitimacy, insisting that a recent court ruling had affirmed Beke as the authentic chairman of the party in the state.
“Let us remind Rivers people that the Supreme Court upheld the judgment that nullified the local government elections in the state because the process went ahead despite a court ruling stopping it.
“Now, if we are not a people suffering from collective amnesia, why must a Tony Okocha, who continues to parade himself as APC chairman against the court’s judgment, be the one pontificating about respect for legal processes?
“What kind of physician tries to heal others while needing a medical emergency? The likes of Tony Okocha are nothing but conflict entrepreneurs fueling political instability in Rivers State. Posterity will not forget the ignoble role he is playing in undermining democracy and the rule of law,” Nwauju said.
He further accused Okocha of failing to account for his tenure at the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC), alleging that his leadership was marred by inefficiency and questionable contracts.
“Okocha deploys reverse psychology to deceive Rivers people, masking his incompetence at the NDDC with empty rhetoric. But this ‘pot that always calls the kettle black’ should know that Rivers people are watching.
“We challenge him to account for several fraudulently awarded projects linked to him. If he continues with his baseless attacks, we will expose every shady deal under his watch,” Nwauju warned.
He also ridiculed Okocha’s shifting stance on the membership status of 27 lawmakers who defected from the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to the APC.
“How do we take seriously a man who, one month ago, claimed that the 27 Assembly members had defected to the APC, only to later say on national television that they never did? Someone who does not even recognize the party register now wants to dictate who has left or joined the APC?
“What can a cockroach possibly contribute in the gathering of fowls?” he added.
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