Blessing Ibunge in Port Harcourt
The dissolved executive council of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Rivers State has denied any alignment with the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Nyesom Wike, and the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).
The disbanded APC Exco members, who are loyal to the former Minister of Transportation, Rotimi Amaechi, said they have not entered any agreement with Wike or any PDP member in the state.
Chairman of the dissolved APC executive, Emeka Beke, made the denial while speaking with journalists in Port Harcourt.
Beke was reacting to rumours that he has dumped Amaechi, after he was sighted in a viral video where he was seen in a hug and smiling with Wike at an event in Port Harcourt last weekend.
While speaking, Beke insisted that he still leads the only legally constituted APC in the state, stressing that there was no alignment of any sort with Wike. He noted that the event was the 60th birthday of a member of a club where he is also a member.
He said it was at the event that he saw Wike and many others, explaining that while exchanging pleasantries with some of his friends, they pleaded with him to say hello to the FCT Minister, but that he refused.
Beke stated that: “First, there is no alignment whatsoever. Isobo Jack, who happens to be the president of the Boys Company of Nigeria which I am a member, a founding member of the club, had his 60th birthday and he invited us.
“I was coming from Okrika where I went for a funeral. And there was time frame for the party, 6p.m. to 8p.m. When I walked into the hall at about 6p.m., I saw a group of people, I saw the minister and a few other persons.
“I shook hands with a few of them and some of them said say hi to the minister. I said there was no need. You know we don’t flow at all, so at the end of the day, because I want to be a gentleman, I started shaking everybody.
“When I got to the minister, we started ‘yabbing’ (repartee), and all that. You know I noticed this will arise I said now I’m talking to you tomorrow morning pictures will trend. And I said it clearly to Chief Emma Anyanwu, that I’m a member of Rotimi Amaechi political family and I remain firm with Rotimi Amaechi.”
He further said as a civilized individual when he gets to an environment where there are people “who have attained some position courtesy demands that he socialises with them rather than quarrelling with them or walking away from them, which was exactly what he did.
“For me I still remain where I belong in politics. Wike is never an option for me at all in politics. I can’t work with him because we don’t have the same style and I have my integrity to protect. I don’t have any affiliation with him and I didn’t go there for any political meeting.”
Earlier, Publicity Secretary of the dissolved APC in the state, Darlington Nwauju, urged members of the public to disregard the Tony Okocha-led APC Caretaker Committee in the state.
Nwauju said their tenure is still subsisting, and blamed the party’s national for dissolving it.
He explained that the law does not permit the party National Working Committee to dissolve an elected executive, and faulted the decision of Abdulahi Ganduje-led national for abruptly ending its tenure.
He stated that: “If you look at article 17 of our party, it talks about the tenure of office and the ‘tenureship’ is for four years. So our tenure will be ending sometime in October 2025 because congresses were held on October 16, 2021.
