From Victor Edozie, in Port Harcourt
The Rivers State Chairman of All Progressives Congress, APC, Chief Tony Okocha, said that the APC in the State and all the chairmanship candidates elected under it’s platform will work and cooperate with the suspended Governor of Rivers State, Sir Siminalayi Fubara when he resumes office on the 18th of September, 2025.
APC won 20 out of the 23 local government areas of the State in the October 30th local government election.
Chief Okocha who spoke with Journalists in Port Harcourt on Tuesday said its assurance to support the suspended governor when he resumes office does not mean that the party will not criticize him where necessary, saying that the party will not agree with him on bad policies.
Okocha said the August 30th local government area election is a prelude to what will happen in the State in 2027 saying that the leadership of the party is working hard to make Rivers APC State.
He said that under his leadership, the Rivers APC would continue to woo more members to join the party, including the Minister of the FCT, Chief Ezenwo Nyesom Wike , members of the State House of Assembly, and other critical stakeholders across the state.
Chief Okocha expressed optimism that Rivers APC would triple its support base by 2027 to deliver a resounding victory for the re-election of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu.
He said, “The governor who was suspended will return to office on 18th of September. APC will work with him when he returns, There are states where the governor and assembly members are in different parties, so we are going to work with him.
“However, that will not take away our rights to criticize him when he does wrong, but for us, the LGA Chairmen will work with him except that we will not agree to vicious policies.
“The Rivers State LG election is a prelude to what will happen in 2027. Whilst we were campaigning, I told our people that there is a need for us to believe in the centre and leave the periphery. In 2023, APC in Rivers State had no shoes, now we are wearing psychedelic shoes.
“We are going to double and redouble our membership for the President, as far as my party is concerned, we will be fielding him for a second term in 2027.
” Under my leadership, the Rivers APC would continue to woo more members to join the party, including the Honourable Minister of the FCT, His Excellency Chief Barr. Ezenwo Nyesom Wike CON, members of the State House of Assembly, and other critical stakeholders across the state.”
He said that the party did not field candidates in Obio Akpor, Port Harcourt City and Ogba/Egbema/Ndoni local government areas where PDP won because the party does not have the strength in those areas saying that the party fielded candidates and concentrate only where it has comparative advantage.
