A leader of one the factions in the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Rivers State, Tony Okocha, has condemned the endless fracas going in the state.
The major road that divides Port Harcourt the state capital into two, Aba Road, has been blocked for days by protesters who have camped out at the INEC zone saying APC would not go in alone to inspect or obtain certified true copies (CTC) of election materials.
In a statement issued Thursday, April 6, 2023, titled; ‘A Call for Peace’, Okocha, who has since declared himself the new leader of the APC in the state said in the last 48 hours, the atmosphere in Rivers State has been charged following disagreements arising from the last governorship and House of Assembly elections conducted on the 18th of March, 2023 by Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).
“First, as Rivers people, we are witnesses to the bitter politics of the recent past which cost the lives of some of our fellow Rivers citizens and led to general insecurity in the State. We are also witnesses to how much effort were put into salvaging the situation.
“We believe that no reasonable person wants a relapse into that ugly past. As a political party, we want to dissociate the APC from the shenanigans going on in the State. There must be a State first before individual ambitions.
For if the State is burnt down, who would those with ambitions rather lead?”
Okocha said having worked so hard for the peace all people in the state enjoy today, “We would not fold our arms and allow desperate politicians throw our State back into the era when life was short, nasty & brutish.
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“The law has made adequate provisions for all aggrieved parties to approach the Courts to ventilate, we call on all parties to take advantage of that.”
Okocha, who said he has displaced the leader, Chibuike Rotimi Amaechi, said nothing, “We repeat, nothing and nobody should be allowed to disturb the peace of our State and security of our people under any guise.
“We have given directives to all genuine members of the APC to maintain law & order and avoid any act capable of disturbing public peace and tranquility.”
Okocha called on the security agencies to take proactive steps to stem the tide of rising tensions.
“Having read and listened to the grouses of the feuding parties in the imbroglio, we deplore the self-help approaches especially when our laws are unambiguous. We further submit that INEC maintains neutrality and fairness to all.
“In the foregoing, we call on Rivers people in particular to protect the peace of our State and on Nigerians in general to give us the needed support in that regard.
“Finally, we call on those protesting to spare the properties of the APC as the party is not party to the issues leading to emerging insecurity.”
He said the APC being a law-abiding party has on its own advised aggrieved parties to take advantage of the provisions of the law in addressing grievances arising from the national elections and would not therefore turn around to encourage self-help in the State.
“In the spirit of that advice, we have directed aggrieved candidates of the party to also take advantage of the provisions of the law.
Any candidate or person who ignores the advice of the party should be held personally responsible for the consequences thereof.”
Okocha had earlier talked about a new lease of life in Rivers State following the victory of Sim Fubara, the candidate of Peoples Democratic Party (PDP). He said his faction of the APC worked for Fubara because Gov Nyesom Wike who backed Fubara worked for the victory of APC’s Bola Tinubu.
The tension in the state came as a result of the Amaechi faction of the APC and their governorship candidate, Tonye Cole, trying to enter into INEC to inspect documents and collect CTC documents.
Okocha thus appeals for peace, saying change cannot be that radical and cannot be in one day. “This man that has emerged, is now governor-elect that would be sworn in on May 29th, will continue and consolidate on the achievements of the governor of the state. And for crying out loud, there is something you cannot take away from the governor of the state. It is that he has been accepted by the entire Nigeria as a performer. He was confirmed through an award as ‘Mr Projects’ by the highest authority in the land, the FG of Nigeria.
He clarified: “We in the APC are supporting the PDP candidate. What you are seeing in Rivers State today is a new order in our political landscape. If the people have said, this is who we want, and he won in all LGAs clean and clear, so it shows that there is a kind of unanimity in the decision of the people that this person will be their governor. So, as the leader of the APC in Rivers State, I do not find anything wrong in this.
“He has promised to run a government of unity, meaning all political parties will be part of the government. I do not see anything wrong in it.”
