BREAKING; 27 pro-Wike Rivers Assembly lawmakers are not APC members

BREAKING; 27 pro-Wike Rivers Assembly lawmakers are not APC members

The Rivers State chapter of the All Progressives Congress (APC) has rejected 27 state lawmakers who recently defected from the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to the APC.

Led by Rt. Hon. Martins Amaewhule, the lawmakers switched parties following a fallout between Governor Siminalayi Fubara and his former political mentor, Nyesom Wike.

However, Chief Tony Okocha, chairman of the APC caretaker committee in Rivers, dismissed their defection, stating on Monday that the pro-Wike legislators are not recognised as members of the party. Okocha made the remarks during a press briefing in Port Harcourt.

He said: “At some point I don’t get it; the House of Assembly members have said over and over again that they are not members of the All Progressives Congress and I confirm to you that they are not.

“What we are doing with them is to woo them to come and join us because we discovered that they were having their own internal crisis in their party.

“I am speaking to you in all authority that they never defected to the All Progressives Congress. There is no record. At least, I am in charge; it would have been joy for me that they came over. They didn’t.

“I will begin by thanking God Almighty who made it possible for all our endeavours in Edo State to come to pass. We are grateful to Mr. President and every other person who made sure that our party won the Edo governorship election.

“We are sure we are going to replicate what happened in Edo I’m Rivers and Delta States in 2027. At the fullness of time, the South-South Zone will have governors from the All Progressives Congress (APC).”

“The proposed local government election is another attempt to disrespect, disregard the Courts and laws of the land. The matter is before the Court and we are in Court.

“The environment in the state does not show that there will be any local government election in the state in the next one week. The governor should stop deceiving the people of the state.

“He knows that it is impossible for the local government election to hold when the matter surrounding the conduct of the election is before the Court and the Court’s ruling on the matter has not been vacated.”