Amaechi Loses Again As Wike ‘Commandeers’ APC Structures In Rivers
BY VICTOR BUORO – It is clearly another setback on the political front for the immediate past Minister of Transportation, Rotimi Amaechi, as the National Working Committee (NWC) of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) on Wednesday sacked the Rivers State executive committees of the party at all levels.
In place at the moment is a Caretaker Committee comprising loyalists of the immediate past governor of the state and current Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Nyesom Wike as constituted by the Party NWC.
The APC National Publicity Secretary, Felix Morka, who addressed the media at the end of the NWC meeting in Abuja on Wednesday night, said the Caretaker Committee put together by the Party has Chief Tony Okocha as its Chairman, while Chief Eric Nwibani will serve as the Secretary.
Also listed as members of the Committee that will be formally inaugurated on Friday are Prince Stephen Abolo, Hon. Silvester Vidin, Hon. Chibuike Ikenga, Miss Darling Amadi, and Senibo Karibi Dan-Jumbo.
The APC Spokesperson said the Caretaker Committee’s mandate is to conduct a comprehensive and fresh electronic party registration of all members in the state, explaining that; “The caretaker committee subject to the directives of the NWC was entrusted with preparing for the conduct of congresses to facilitate the emergence of new executive committees for the party at various levels, extending from the ward to the state.”
According to him, the Caretaker Committee, which has been given six months to complete its assignment by the NWC, will be inaugurated on Friday, 24th November 2023 at the Party’s National Secretariat, Abuja.
Described by political commentators as an avid supporter and political ally of the FCT Minister, Chief Okocha recently led a delegation of Wike’s loyalists on a courtesy visit to the APC National Chairman, Dr Abdullahi Umar Ganduje in Abuja, where he accused Amaechi of working against Tinubu in the last election.
At that Forum, the delegation, while openly endorsing Wike’s active participation in the current administration, urged Tinubu to avoid appointing Amaechi’s loyalists into various positions in the current government, but rather engage the FCT Minister directly on issues relating to Rivers State.
With this latest development, the battle for the soul of Rivers’ APC and the South-South State, in general, may have tilted in favour of Barrister Wike known for his long-standing political contestation against the former Minister and Governor of the State, Amaechi, who has been off the radar after losing the presidential ticket of the APC to current President, Bola Tinubu during the Party primaries.
Interestingly, the development is coming about two months after some chieftains of the party loyal to Amaechi, and led by the State governorship candidate, Tonye Cole, lamented that President Bola Tinubu has, obviously for political convenience, sacrificed them for the FCT Minister Nyesom Wike, and his cohorts in Rivers State.
