Politics

APC Denies Membership of 27 Pro-Wike Rivers Lawmakers Amid Defection Claims

Published by Tope Fakinlede on September 24th, 2024.

APC Denies Membership of 27 Pro-Wike Rivers Lawmakers Amid Defection Claims

The leadership of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Rivers State has dismissed claims regarding the 27 members of the Rivers State House of Assembly who recently announced their defection to the party.

These lawmakers, led by Rt. Hon. Martins Amaewhule, were originally elected under the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) but declared their switch to APC following tensions between the current governor, Siminalayi Fubara, and his former political mentor, Nyesom Wike.

In a press conference held in Port Harcourt, Chief Tony Okocha, chairman of the APC caretaker committee, asserted that these lawmakers are not members of the APC. He stated, “They have repeatedly claimed they are not part of our party, and I can confirm that. Our goal is to persuade them to join us, as they are experiencing internal conflicts within their own party.”

Okocha emphasized that there is no official record of their defection, expressing that it would have been beneficial for the party if they had truly joined.

Looking ahead, he expressed confidence that the APC would gain control in Rivers and Delta States by 2027, following the recent successes in the Edo State governorship election. “We believe we can replicate our success in Edo here in Rivers and Delta. Eventually, all six states in the South-South geopolitical zone will have APC governors,” he added.

Okocha also criticized the upcoming local government elections scheduled for October 5, 2024, describing them as a disregard for the courts and existing laws, given that the APC is currently engaged in legal proceedings to halt the elections. He stated, “The conditions in the state do not support the holding of local government elections. The governor should stop misleading the people; it is impossible to proceed with elections when the matter is still pending in court.”