Sacked APC Chairman Reveals Amaechi’s New Strategy To Frustrate Tinubu

Tony Okocha, the ousted Caretaker Committee Chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Rivers State, has accused former Minister of Transportation, Chibuike Rotimi Amaechi, of attempting to seize control of the party in the state to undermine President Bola Tinubu in the 2027 elections.

Okocha made these allegations while speaking to journalists at the APC national secretariat, following a court ruling on Monday, August 15, that dismissed his committee. He claimed that Amaechi’s plan is to weaken the party’s effectiveness by subordinating it to the state government, thereby undoing the electoral gains achieved in 2023.

A High Court in Port Harcourt had ordered the dissolution of Okocha’s caretaker committee and reinstated Chief Emeka Beke as Chairman. However, the APC National Working Committee declared on Thursday that Okocha’s committee remains the only recognized administrative body of the party in Rivers State.

Okocha criticized Beke’s appointment, stating, “Beke was imposed on the APC in Rivers State. I was an ally of Senator Magnus Abe when we fought against ineptitude, political high-handedness, and imposition within the party. Beke was a product of these issues, handpicked by the former APC leader, Rotimi Amaechi.”

He further alleged that Amaechi had installed Beke as a “stooge” to serve his interests. Okocha explained that during the APC presidential primaries, Beke led the Rivers delegation, delivering all 56 delegate votes to Amaechi.

Okocha warned of Amaechi’s intentions to regain leadership of the APC in Rivers State and use the party to challenge President Tinubu in 2027. “We will never allow that,” he declared.

He also criticized Beke for referring to Amaechi as the leader of the APC in Rivers and the South-South region, despite Amaechi’s alleged lack of support for Tinubu during the presidential campaign. Okocha noted that Amaechi had aligned with the opposition, supporting PDP’s Atiku, while Wike and his group cooperated with the APC.

Okocha concluded, “A man who worked against President Tinubu and supported the opposition cannot be the leader of the APC.”