All Progressives Congress (APC) stakeholders in Rivers State have called on President Bola Ahmed Tinubu to consider appointing former governor Nyesom Wike as a minister.

The stakeholders, represented by the Amalgamated Bola Tinubu Campaign Council Rivers State, led by Chief Tony Okocha, a former chief of staff to the Rivers State Government and a party stalwart, emphasised the significant role played by Wike in ensuring Tinubu’s victory during the February 25 presidential election in the state.

Addressing the press in Abuja yesterday, Okocha urged the public to disregard what he described as cheap political tactics employed by the Social Democratic Party’s gubernatorial candidate, Magnus Abe, in Rivers state.

Okocha said that Abe’s sudden attempt to position himself in Tinubu’s political circle after leaving the APC when his support was most needed should be disregarded.

Okocha attributed the APC’s victory in the state to the efforts of governor Nyesom Wike, who played a crucial role in keeping the party united when other major stakeholders turned away.

He stated, “When Amaechi and Magnus left, I was left with the little control I could manage through an amalgamation of support groups. Since 1999, the PDP has continuously held power in Rivers state. Even in 2015, when I served as Chief of Staff and Amaechi was the governor, the APC received about 69,000 votes while the PDP scored about 2 million votes. We were in charge, and Wike doubled as the DG of Buhari’s campaign in 2015. In 2019, when Wike became the governor, the situation worsened.”

“In 2015, the APC scored 7 percent, and in 2019, we scored 5 percent. However, in 2023, the APC emerged victorious. What caused this change? Wike’s PDP won all 32 seats in the state House of Assembly, 12 out of 13 House of Representatives seats, 3 out of 3 senatorial seats, and the governorship. However, Wike’s PDP did not win the Presidential election in Rivers state. Why? It is because we all know that the G-5 governors insisted on making things right, shifting power to the South and having Ayu resign before they would work for Atiku. Wike played the role of a spin doctor to ensure everything worked out for Tinubu.”

“We have 6,868 polling units in Rivers state, spread across 319 wards and 23 Local Government Areas. Every politician has their own polling unit agents who are paid stipends. Who paid for the 6,868 agents in Rivers state for the APC?” Okocha questioned.

Okocha stressed the importance of the G-5 governors’ activities in Tinubu’s success in Nigerian politics today.
By Tunde Oguntola
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