Rivers APC Faction Refuses to Participate in Local Government Elections
A faction of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Rivers State, led by Tony Okocha, has announced that it will not participate in the local government elections scheduled for October 5 by the Rivers State Independent Electoral Commission (RSIEC). Okocha made this declaration on Wednesday while addressing party stakeholders and members loyal to him from the 23 local government areas of the state at their own state secretariat.
According to Okocha, the issues surrounding the October 5 election are still under litigation, and the faction is not convinced about the possibility of the election holding on the specified date. He expressed doubt about the legitimacy of the election, citing the absence of APC and the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) chairmen at the RSIEC stakeholders meeting.
Okocha questioned which political parties would be able to contest under these circumstances, adding that the process is not in tandem with the law. He emphasized that the APC National Working Committee (NWC) has declared him the authentic CTC chairman of the party in Rivers State, and urged party members to disregard rumors from the APC under the leadership of Emeka Beke.
The faction leader commended party members for their support of President Bola Tinubu and urged them to continue, assuring them that the party would protect the integrity of the Renewed Hope Family structure of President Tinubu. Some notable members present at the meeting included Ojukayi Flag-Amachree, Senator Wilson Ake, and Wogu Boma, amongst others.
Okocha’s faction has been at odds with the Rivers State APC leadership, which has been accused of not being transparent in its dealings. The faction has also expressed concerns about the credibility of the RSIEC and the conduct of the local government elections.
The development is likely to further polarize the political landscape in Rivers State, with implications for the upcoming elections.
