By Kolawole Ojebisi
A factional Chairman of the All Progressives Congress(APC) Caretaker Committee in Rivers State, Tony Okocha, and his rival, Emeka Beke, who leads another faction premised on his reinstatement by a Court of competent jurisdiction, are set to clash again over an ongoing race for the substantive chairmanship seat of APC in Rivers State.
Okocha is a loyalist of Minister of the Federal Capital Territory(FCT) while Beke is an ally of former Transportation minister, Rotimi Amaech.
Okocha spoke Tuesday on why the party needs a man of his political stature as its Chairman in the state.
Okocha maintained that the APC, having gone through a lot recently, needed a vibrant, and forward-looking politican with hoards of experience to be in control of its affairs in Rivers State.
The politician added that he is most suitable for the role of Rivers State APC chapter Chairman, stressing that with his political credentials he would easily reposition the party in the state.
Though Beke has not openly spoken on the matter, he has consistently maintained in previous statements that he is the authentic chairman of APC in Rivers State, given his reinstatement by the court. He had also pledged to reposition the party in Rivers State.
However, given this latest development, the two opposing factions may be heading for another showdown in the battle for control of APC in Rivers State.
Meanwhile, Okocha who spoke on the matter made his position public in an interview with Punch Online on Tuesday.
He emphasized the need for devotion and commitment by party members “in the wake of Emeka Beke-led executives dissolution.”
Okocha, however, mentioned that he would first consult and seek his wife’s approval before entering the race.
He said: “Our leadership, from the ward to the state level, will come through consensus. That’s why I used the word ‘seamless.’ As it stands, I am eligible to contest. If the system trusts my capability, I will simply step down from the caretaker committee.
“But I’ll also need to ask my wife, as she is my chief confidant. If she agrees, I’ll do my best. The APC in Rivers State needs a very dynamic person in charge, so the state can truly be called ‘Rivers of Possibilities’ and the ‘Treasure Base of the Nation.’ We cannot afford to lag.”
The dissolution of the Beke-led executive by the party’s National Working Committee sparked controversy, with the ousted officers seeking redress in court.
Their dissolution was eventually overturned two months ago by a Rivers State High Court in Port Harcourt, the state capital. However, the APC NWC has remained adamant in throwing its support behind Okocha’s factional caretaker committee.
Okocha’s leadership of the party has been a thorn in the flesh of Governor Siminalayi Fubara and the faction of the Peoples Democratic Party(PDP)loyal to him.
The Okocha-led APC enjoys a strong relationship with the Wike faction of the PDP, and the Martin Amaewhule-led House of Assembly lawmakers recently announced their defection to the APC under Okocha’s leadership.
This development has also sparked another round of legal tussle between the defected lawmakers and those loyal to governor Fubara led by Oko-Jumbo.
The chances of the Beke-led executive being reinstated were effectively eliminated when the party’s NWC set new dates for the rescheduled elective congresses to choose a new executive for the Rivers APC chapter.
The new dates were announced in a statement issued in Abuja by the party’s National Publicity Secretary, Felix Morka.
According to the revised schedule, the Rivers APC will hold its ward congress on 16 November 2024.
The local government congress will follow a week later, on 23 November 2024, and the state congress will take place on Saturday, 30 November 2024.
Welcoming the decision, Okocha, who served as Chief of Staff to former Governor Rotimi Amaechi from 2007 to 2015, expressed confidence that the best officers would be elected.
“That is the calendar handed over to us and published for the public. I assure you we are putting in the effort to ensure the congresses, from ward to state, proceed seamlessly.
“You won’t hear us protesting or going to court over this. We are working with key stakeholders and have promised that selecting all the officers will not be a battlefield. It won’t be business as usual,” he stated.
