Okocha, Tonye Cole in war of words over Rivers APC Crisis

EMMANUEL NLEWEDUM, Port Harcourt

 

The Caretaker Chairman of the All Progressives Congress, APC, in Rivers State, Chief Tony Okocha, and the governorship candidate of the party in the 2023 election, Pastor Tonye Cole has engaged each other in war of words over the crisis rocking the APC in the state.

 

Tony Okocha in a statement issued in Port Harcourt on Wednesday berated Tonye Cole over his comment on the leadership of the APC in Rivers State on a national television.

 

Pastor Tonye Cole, had during a recent TV programme stated that Tony Okocha has no right to speak for APC in Rivers State, after he was sacked as the CTC Chairman of the APC in Rivers State, by a High Court in Port Harcourt, which reinstated Chief Emeka Beke as the authentic Chairman of the party in the state.

 

Cole accused Okocha of being a member of the political family of Barr. Nyesom Wike, the Minister of Federal Capital Territory, FCT, and immediate past Governor of Rivers State.

 

Responding, the NWC-backed CTC Chairman of Rivers APC, Chief Tony Okocha accused Tonye Cole of working against President Bola Ahmed Tinubu during the 2023 presidential elections.

 

Okocha, said all through the campaign season, no picture of Tinubu appeared on the billboards, banners, or posters of Tonye Cole as a presidential candidate of the APC.

 

On Cole’s statement that he is a member of Nyesom Wike’s political family, and that he cannot speak for the Rivers APC, Okocha said the APC’s gubernatorial candidate in the last election, despite being in APC, secretly supported the PDP presidential candidate, Alhaji Atiku Abubakar against Tinubu.

 

“First, it is no longer a hidden secret that Mr. Tonye Cole is an ardent supporter of the presidential candidate of the PDP in the last election, Alhaji Atiku Abubakar. Every Nigerian, including the leader of the APC, President Tinubu, and the National Chairman of the APC, is aware that Tonye Cole, Amaechi, Emeka Bekee, et al. massively supported Atiku Abubakar of the PDP during the last presidential election against the presidential candidate of the APC, Ahmed Bola Tinubu.

 

He said, “We are equally aware that the spectacular trashing of their master, Rt. Hon. Rotimi Chibuike Amaechi, by Tinubu, during the APC presidential primary election was not far from the reason why they abandoned and rejected Tinubu, and instead, opted for Atiku Abubakar.

 

“No wonder President Tinubu was reluctant when he was speaking during the APC presidential campaign rally at Yakubu Gowon Stadium in Port Harcourt in 2022 to solicit votes for Tonye Cole from Rivers people, because he was fully aware that Tonye Cole was totally against him and the APC and was rather supporting Atiku Abubakar.

 

“Who does not know that throughout Tonye Cole’s campaign in Rivers State in 2023, there were none of his billboards, banners, or posters that featured the picture of Tinubu, his party’s presidential candidate? Tonye Cole, as instructed by Atiku Abubakar and Rotimi Amaechi, completely avoided any association with Tinubu throughout his campaign rallies.”

 

Okocha said this was the reason why President Tinubu blatantly snubbed the attempt by Tonye Cole to shake hands with him at his residence after his presidential victory.

 

“It is important to inform Tonye Cole that the Minister of the FCT, Chief Barr. Ezenwo Nyesom Wike, is the leader of the PDP in Rivers State, while Chief Tony C. Okocha is the Chairman/Leader of the APC in Rivers State.

 

“Therefore, Chief E.N. Wike does not have any dealings or concerns with the APC in Rivers State, and the Chairman/Leader of the APC in Rivers State, Chief Tony Okocha, does not report to Wike on any issues concerning the party. Chief Okocha reports directly to the Leader of the APC, President Bola Ahmed Tinubu GCFR, and the National Chairman of the APC, HE Alhaji Abdullahi Umar Ganduje OFR.

 

“It is also important to inform Mr. Tonye Cole that we have what is called the Renewed Hope Family in Rivers State. It is a non-partisan pro-Tinubu group that consists of individuals from different political parties who supported and continue to support President Tinubu in Rivers State. Chief Ezenwo Nyesom Wike contributed significantly to the jinx-breaking victory of Tinubu in Rivers State and is therefore the Leader of the Renewed Hope Family in Rivers State, while Chief Tony Okocha is the Deputy Leader.

 

“The same way, Rt. Hon. Chibuike Rotimi Amaechi is the leader of the Atikulated (a pro-Atiku group) Family in Rivers State, which consists of members from various political parties, including Tonye Cole, Emeka Bekee, Siminalayi Fubara, Austin Okpara, Celestine Omehia, Abiye Sekibo, and Lee Maebe, among others, who supported and are still supporting Alhaji Atiku Abubakar in Rivers State.”

 

Okocha said that “Tonye Cole and his ilk do not have any authority to speak for Rivers APC, the same party that they have since abandoned and ceased to be members of.”

 

He however advised Tonye Cole to look for a quiet place to sob and lick his wounds in peace after his two times total rejection by Rivers people.

 

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