The division within the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Rivers State appears to have been resolved ahead of the presidential rally scheduled for Wednesday in Port Harcourt, the state capital. Governor Nyesom Wike approved the use of Yakubu Gowon Stadium in Elekahia for the party’s Presidential Campaign Council. Consequently, Chief Tony Okocha, chairman of the Local Organising Committee for the rally, inspected the venue on Sunday as facilities and equipment were being installed.
However, tensions arose when the state governorship candidate, Tonye Cole, and other senior party leaders insisted that the event should be organized under their control. Okocha, a member of the Presidential Campaign Council and chairman of the Bola Ahmed Tinubu (BAT‑Vanguard) in the South‑South, opposed this demand and reaffirmed the governor’s approval of the stadium. The disagreement escalated into a heated argument between the two factions.
As tempers rose, former presidential aspirant Tein Jack‑Rich intervened to broker peace. In a viral video seen by our correspondent on Monday night, Jack‑Rich urged the parties to set aside their differences and unite for the presidential candidate’s visit on February 15, 2023. He praised Okocha, state APC chairman Chief Emeka Beke, and other leaders for their preparation, noting that there is only one APC in the state.
Jack‑Rich declared, “When we arrived, the atmosphere was chaotic, but the good news is that we are now united. We, the people of Rivers—brothers and sisters—stand together in support of governorship candidate Tonye Cole and the party’s highest‑ranking officer in the region, National Vice Chairman of APC South‑South Chief Victor Giadom, as well as Deputy Coordinator of the Presidential Campaign Council.” He added that the rally would celebrate both the presidential candidate and the governorship standard‑bearer, emphasizing that the recent discord had ended and urging continued encouragement of the newly forged unity.
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