Since the Supreme Court barred the All Progressives Congress, or APC, from participating in the state’s 2019 general election in 2018, the party has been embroiled in a crisis. Since then, the party has struggled with one issue after another and has not entirely recovered.CONTINUE FULL READING>>>>>
The spokesperson for the Tony Okocha-led party faction, Mr. Chibuike Ikenga, talks exclusively with the Daily Post about how it all started, including the part played by former Governor Chibuike Amaechi, the likelihood that Governor Sim Fubara will return to the Bricks House in 2027, and the deteriorating relationship between Nyesom Wike, the FCT Minister, and Peter Odili. Excerpts
Could you briefly explain the history of the APC dispute in Rivers State?
These issues have plagued APC for a while. I am an APC foundation member. We began doing this in 2012. So far, I’ve been here. I am the party’s publicity secretary. Therefore, it wasn’t without effort. The APC had a great start, but because of irreconcilable disagreements between the leaders—the governor at the time, Rotimi Amaechi—and a few dissidents, the party’s fortunes were mismanaged by the leadership at the time. Because of this, the party was weakened and was unable to win elections. Prior to the president’s victory in Rivers State in 2023, the APC had a history of losing elections. That was the start of the crisis.
Can the two factions ever unite to form a powerful force, and why is there no sign of peace in Rivers APC?
The APC is not divided. The party is in charge. Since the party’s constitution stipulates that the National Executive Committee, or NEC, makes decisions about how the party is run and occasionally transfers authority to the National Working Committee, or NWC, the national leadership of the party decided it would be wise to dissolve any individuals who had lost their positions due to anti-party sentiment and egregious incompetence, which also hurt the party’s fortunes.
As mandated by law, the National Executive Committee in this instance did transfer its authority to the National Working Committee in order to disband the State Working Committee. The national executive committee meeting minutes are available. INEC was present. I am aware that the court has made a decision because they exercised their authority to dissolve the contentious EXCO and establish a caretaker committee with specific guidelines. A Supreme Court ruling states that judges are not allowed to become involved in political parties’ internal matters. Therefore, any ruling that is not connected to that Supreme Court ruling is void.
As I already stated, Rivers APC does not have any factions. However, there are some irate folks. They are upset, so you interpret it as factionalization. That isn’t accurate. As I mentioned before, certain individuals who had been in charge of the party’s structures from the beginning ran for office at all levels of government, including the national and local ones, and were unable to secure power. Furthermore, politics is said to be dynamic.
Many things have happened, you know. A few new competitors have emerged. There has been realignment and alignment, and some persons have left the party. Over time, some people have discovered that some of the people they hold in great regard are actually paper or feather weights. People are starting to realign, and then events are progressing to the point where some powerful individuals are starting to seize control of the party’s structure. Because of this, if they lose that power battle, they now usually side with the governor [Fubara] to try to utilize the courts to stop the APC’s actions, but this is simply a short-term setback. One in rivers is APC.
Despite his silence, do you have any reason to believe that former Transport Minister Rotimi Amaechi is involved in the Rivers APC crisis?
Of course, we are aware of everyone’s proper place. He is part of the group that is collaborating with Atiku to overthrow the president. We’re from Rivers. We are aware of everything. We are aware of ourselves. Rotimi enters River State covertly, holds meetings at night, and we hear glimpses of them; he always has Sim Fubara with him, and all of his fans. Rotimi Amaechi’s associate Emeka Beke is alleged to be a functional chairman of the party, which does not exist.
What specific problems do you have with Rotimi Amaechi, and why is Ganduje unable to convince the APC leader to join him?
In his [Amaechi] local government, I was the party’s head. Even though I dislike talking about Amaechi, I will occasionally do so. For someone like myself, who sacrificed everything for the APC’s triumph, Amaechi himself is aware. He bears a greater portion of the responsibility for the APC’s success in Rivers. I firmly believe that he mishandled the assistance he received. I firmly believe that he mishandled the freely provided support, and I am certain that he is aware of this.
You know, there are just too many issues. You don’t presume you know everything if you work in politics. Naturally, you have a problem if you keep thinking that ideas and power only originate from the top down without also understanding that ideas can originate from the bottom up. Now, when you also think you know everything, no one can challenge you because you think your words are definitive and no one can say anything or offer advice. This is a big issue for a political party.
As you can see, you win some and lose some. Compromises here and there, you know. Political parties are not joined by people becauseBecause I adored Amaechi’s face, I chose not to join APC. I joined the party with him at the time because I thought that if we helped him win, I would at least be able to help my community grow, draw in projects and services for my people, and grow myself. Not because I’m that infatuated with him. Yes, love may have grown between us as a result of our connection, but interest is what matters most. We can therefore part ways whenever our shared interest is no longer viable.
I informed him, “I’m at this party because of you, just so you know,” to which he replied, “I can remember, you can ask anybody.” I declared that I would quit as soon as my interests were no longer safeguarded. I repeatedly informed him that the state trembled when I left from the leadership six months prior to the presidential election, as it became clear that my interests were no longer safeguarded. He didn’t call me after I quit.
Returning to our point, the reason is that many of them are in a major quagmire because they have lost the party’s hold. Other than joining forces with Governor Fubara to see how they might utilize the Rivers High Court to halt our actions, they are at a loss on what to do. But keep in mind that the Rivers High Court is only subordinate to the Supreme Court and the Court of Appeal.
Is there enough proof that the NWC should fire the Emeka Beke-led APC faction for engaging in anti-party activities during the 2023 election?
As one of the party’s leaders, I have been there from the beginning—yes, from the very beginning. When it was decided that they should back Atiku, I was present. Instead of voting for Tinubu, they ought to back Atiku. That wasn’t anti-party, was it? Their removal and factionalization were due to this reason.
Was there not anti-party behavior by the Tony Okocha side that collaborated with Nyesom Wike, the minister of the Federal Capital Territory?
That is the reality. We are collaborating with the ministry of the FCT. Is Wike not collaborating with President Tinubu? He appointed him Minister, didn’t he? Additionally, he is spearheading the APC administration’s Renewed Hope Agenda. Wike is under no obligation to encourage the APC’s expansion in Rivers. Despite not being an APC member, he is a minister in the party and is in charge of its programs and initiatives, whether we like it or not.
How come your state congress and the Okocha faction of the APC, to which you belong, are unable to abide by the Rivers High Court’s decision to dismiss Ganduje’s appointment of the Caretaker Committee?
It is a procured judgment and has no bearing on what the higher courts say. The River State High Court is the source of them. Can that, then, take precedence over the Court of Appeal’s ruling? Can it overrule the Supreme Court’s ruling? We got a ruling from the Court of Appeal that says we may proceed with our congress. We want to know why the state high court has the authority to overrule the lower courts. It lacks the abilities. The Rivers State High Court, especially some of those judges, are being quite political.
A Court of Appeal ruling that is currently in effect provided us a clear bill to proceed with our congresses. Furthermore, I informed you that the Supreme Court has a ruling that prohibits courts from meddling in political parties’ internal issues. That is the ruling of the Supreme Court.
What prospects does the Rivers APC have for 2027? I can guarantee you that the APC will win the election in 2027 since I am the party’s spokesperson in River State. I would like to draw your attention to a few points.
First of all, as you are aware, the PDP is wildly fragmented from the federal level to the state level. However, there is no division within the APC. The only thing going on in Rivers State is that some people who have lost their positions of authority—such as Rotimi Amaechi and others who have attempted to run for national, state, and local elections but failed—feel as though they no longer have the party’s structures, so they have chosen to start trouble.
How likely is it that Governor Fubara will be re-elected in 2027? First of all, you’re implying that he might be relocating to a different party. I am aware that he belongs to the PDP. He hasn’t relocated to a different gathering. Additionally, Wike, a former governor and FCT minister, has complete control over the party’s structures with his team in the PDP that I am familiar with in Nigeria and Rivers State. He is in charge, and as you are aware, they created a governor who works in government. But that doesn’t take away from [Fubara’s] standing as Rivers State governor. He is a close friend of mine.
He hasn’t been here before, you know. There are some who believe in him, then strive to push him, develop him, guide him, and eventually appoint him governor. The relationship has been shattered by him. That relationship has taken a very negative turn. He has a shot, though, if he can do anything to save that relationship. He has an opportunity to mend the relationship with his supporters, especially under the direction of the FCT Minister and other party leaders.
And you know, it’s really very painful when people who fought for him to be governor are seeing the food they have cooked, the pot of soup, he now took it and instead is dilly-dallying and dining with those who were opposed to it.
But if that is not done between now and in the next three months, it will be too hot for him to see a leeway to retain the governorship. But alignments are still going on, very seriously. No, it’s not only about Fubara and Wike. This is a team thing. The disagreement is within the team. You know, the governor is accused of abandoning those who brought him to power and taking along those who fought him not to come to power.
Reconciliation is really tough, and it is extremely painful. But whatever the case, I think everything is possible. However, as I mentioned before, I believe that will be the end if he can make amends with his team, the group that put him in power. However, the APC is hoping that the relationship would worsen further, giving us the upper hand, so that we may seize control of the government in Rivers. The governor will then take the lead in opposition in Rivers.
Will you run your own candidate or will the Okocha group support the minister’s choice if Wike chooses to support someone else for the 2027 governorship?
Without a doubt, I think the minister from the FCT will bring his candidate. After introducing our own APC candidate, we will take to the fight. How can we support a PDP candidate? We have an edge as the governor is unlikely to receive the ticket if he does, which is improbable, therefore whoever wins will take over. He will then proceed with anti-party activities. In the event that he works against the PDP, it will benefit us. There are numerous permutations occurring.
What happened to the 26 lawmakers led by Martins Amaewhule after they defected to the APC?
The 26 others, including Martins Amaewhule, did not defect to our party. They belong to the PDP. They expressed a desire to attend our gathering. They haven’t. They haven’t signed up to join our party. They did not visit their wards to register, therefore their names are not listed in our party register. Therefore, they do not belong to our party. Amaewhule and the others attended the PDP’s most recent conference but did not attend the APC congress. They are not our members; nevertheless, the Federal High Court and the Court of Appeal have recognized the Right Hon. Martin Amaewhule and the other 26 as legitimate members of the State Assembly.
In light of this, the Court of Appeal mandated that Martin Amaewhule, the head of the legally recognized House, represent Rivers State in the 2024 appropriations bill. We didn’t get them into the APC at any point. Nothing like that was present. They ought to demonstrate it. How might the Rivers House of Assembly be at peace again?
The greatest way to maintain harmony in the Rivers State House of Assembly is for all factions—including those who are hostile or disagree—to follow the law. Let everyone be treated equally under the law.The judiciary has the duty to step in and interpret the Constitution to maintain balance when the branches of government disagree.
And anyone can stand up and say anything in this situation. However, the judiciary becomes the sole habitat once there is a conflict between the executive and the executive, as there is in the Rivers State House of Assembly. Additionally, the executive has continued to disobey with impunity despite the judiciary’s consequential rulings that the executive should comply. Therefore, this issue will be resolved and the state’s government will run smoothly if everyone, regardless of group, abides by the law. It is a problem when people disregard the law.
Who do you think is to blame for the declining rapport between former governors Peter Odili and Nyesom Wike? Alright, I must say that Dr. Peter Odili was careless. And we’re really disappointed. It was widely believed that he was a clever, extremely intelligent man who knew when to move ahead and when to back off.
Unfortunately, since the governor is funding his university—which Wike did support incalculably—I am unsure if this is for pecuniary seasons. I’m not sure what caused that, then. Since I’m an Ikwerre man, former Governor Peter Odili has always had respect in Rivers State. He is perceived by many as having assisted Amaechi in obtaining the ticket. The governorship was held by an Ikwerre man for the first time. Odili brought Amaechi’s cousin Celestine Omeha even after Amaechi had the K-leg issue that Obasanjo had forced on him. Thus, that was how we had always viewed him. However, I heard Dr. Peter Odili state that Governor Fubara prevented Wike from embezzling River State.
He was singing and applauding for the same Wike he had been praising days earlier because Wike had given him a house and provided N500 or N1 billion in government funding annually to sustain his private institution.
Because Wike is facing a battle from his successor today, Odili went in to try to find out how he could undermine Wike’s integrity. Odili is therefore at blame. An senior should act appropriately; Odili, as a man, should have shown himself respect. He ought to have called Wike in private or written him a letter and sent it to him secretly, even if he had something unpleasant to say. Wike was therefore equally ready to fight back, which he did, in order for him to go all out against him in the media.
Therefore, Dr. Odili should take responsibility for his thoughtless and hazardous remarks. There must be an equal and opposite response to every action. Therefore, it would be a nonentity to declare to the public today that Chibuike Ikenda does not exist. He is a fool. When I react, I’ll remark, “You’re a crazy person.” Even your existence is worthless. That’s what it is, then. Age is irrelevant. It makes no difference how old he is. In politics, age is irrelevant. Our government is not a gerontocracy. We only discuss gerontocracy within the family; it does not exist in the broader political sphere. Age is not a determining factor in leadership or politics.
How can the APC overcome its obstacles and move forward in the run-up to the 2027 election? APC is discussing the future. We recently won Edo State, and Rivers is the next in the South-South, he remarked when our National Chairman and National Working Committee attended the inauguration of the party’s newly elected executive members.
That must have irritated the governor before they attempted to get that court ruling to overturn our actions. The governor and his team responded by using the court to determine the amount of nullification, but it doesn’t mean that the situation is serious. The national chairman’s statement that we would “capture” Rivers was enough to infuriate the governor. The Supreme Court will validate it after we have already petitioned the Court of Appeal to have it set aside. Therefore, allowing everyone to abide by the law is the solution. Be mindful of your boundaries.CONTINUE FULL READING>>>>>
