Chief Eze Chukwuemeka Eze, an influential member of the All-Progressives Congress (APC) in Rivers State, clarified that Rotimi Amaechi, the former Minister of Transportation, did not direct party members to vote against President Bola Tinubu in the 2023 presidential election.
Eze made this statement in response to remarks attributed to Tony Okocha, a factional leader within the state’s party.
Okocha, during his visit to the APC National Chairman, Abdullahi Ganduje, claimed that Amaechi had made a pact with the Peoples Democratic Party’s Presidential candidate, Atiku Abubakar, instructing their members to vote for him. In response to this allegation, Eze accused Okocha of engaging in a smear campaign for political gains.
In a statement released on Friday, October 6, 2023, the APC leader dismissed Eze’s assertion as fictional and a combination of falsehoods devised to favor their sponsors.
Eze also praised Gandule for thwarting the plans of “Okocha and his associates,” whom he labeled as “Wike’s hired troublemakers.”
“Okocha and his team were disappointed when Abdullahi Ganduje cautioned them not to heat the polity and allow the leadership of the party at the central work out modalities to calm frayed nerves and resolve every issue affecting the party in the state before delving into constituting another party structure in the state,” he said.
He stated that Okocha wasn’t affiliated with the APC prior to the 2023 elections. He emphasized that neither Nyesom Wike nor Okocha held the authority to expel Amaechi from the party.
It is worth mentioning that Amaechi was among the 13 candidates who competed for the APC presidential nomination against Tinubu in June 2022.
Amaechi received 316 votes, securing the second position, whereas Tinubu garnered 1271 votes, ultimately winning the ticket.