Omiete Blessing
The National Chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Dr Abdullahi Ganduje has inaugurated the Chief Tony Okocha’s led executive of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Rivers state.
Performing the inauguration, Ganduje said there is no faction in the Rivers State APC, noting that the Okocha’s led-executive is the recognised party leadership in the State.
Ganduje who spoke on Saturday, while inaugurating Okocha as the elected APC chairman in Rivers alongside other members of the party state working committee, noted the need for harmony and love in the party.
He said “We decided to inaugurate the Executives of the party here so that there is no dichotomy between the national and state leadership of the party. We need to be in harmony, in love with the state. It is very important.
“There is no more faction of APC in Rivers State. The only recognised Excos is the committee led by Chief Tony Okocha.”
Ganduje also advised the leadership of the party to ensure that they woo more new members to party, saying that there target is to takeover the leadership of Rivers in the 2027 general elections.
“As members and leaders, you are bound with the responsibility according to the constitution of the party, ensure that you lobby, use your political desperados to woo people into the party.
“You are from the South South zone where the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) is dominated, but during the President Mohammad Buhari administration we were able to take one State. Now in President Bola Tinubu, we have one. Our of six we have two. Since we have started this journey, Rivers is our target to reclaim”.
The APC national Chairmen added that “To win Rivers State to APC, is a task that must be done”.
In his speech immediately after his swearing in, the new party chairman, Tony Okocha, assured that national leadership of party of their readiness to occupy the state government house in 2027.
Okocha alleged that the State governor, Siminalayi Fubara has no political party, as such he may not be qualify to contest in the coming general elections in 2027.
Addressing the national leadership of the party are the inauguration event, Okocha said: “We are in league to assure you that 2027 will be different, it will be a return. The man who is in Rivers State as a governor does not have party and our constitution does not support independent candidate.”
Okocha urged aggrieved members of the APC who are battling their position in court to withdraw matter and join hands to stabilise the party in the State.
He said “The opponent at the other side is defeated already. I assume you that all the rules that are akin to political parties to win the prominent position in the state we will exhaust them. Come 2027, the APC flag will be erated in Government House.
“We advise a few of our members playing around the court to come back to the party. I don’t see the power of the court superior than the party. Is one party thing, we need to work together “, Okocha added.