In a recent address, Tony Okocha, Chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC) Caretaker Committee in Rivers State, has issued a strong warning to critics he claims are misrepresenting the ongoing political crisis in Rivers State.
Okocha while speaking at a press conference held at the APC national secretariat in Abuja on Friday, emphasized that Governor Siminalayi Fubara is a direct political investment of Nyesom Wike, the current Minister of the Federal Capital Territory and former Rivers State Governor.
Okocha, who previously served as Chief of Staff to ex-Governor Rotimi Amaechi from 2007 to 2015, expressed frustration with local media coverage, which he described as biased. “I feel embarrassed every time I listen to radio analysis and hear presenters providing a skewed narrative,” he remarked.
Okocha insisted that the public has been misled into blaming the APC and Wike for the situation in Rivers. “Some are quick to judge Wike, asking why he isn’t stepping back after eight years, but that’s not the issue here,” he added.
Elaborating on his point, Okocha stated that Governor Fubara’s rise was entirely orchestrated by Wike. “Nobody makes an investment and then discards it; that would spell failure.
“Governor Fubara is Wike’s political investment. Fubara was elevated from his position as a civil servant to the governorship by Wike himself,” he stated.
Okocha further argued that the current crisis was not about Wike overpowering others in the state but, rather, Governor Fubara facing challenges within his own administration.
Turning his attention to the Governor’s recent actions, Okocha criticized Fubara for allegedly defying both a presidential intervention and a court order. “Mr. President, through an eight-point agenda, directed the governor to re-present the 2024 budget before the full Rivers State Assembly, led by Speaker Martins Amaewhule.
“However, Fubara disregarded this order and presented it to a select four-member assembly, bypassing 27 others,” he revealed.
Okocha recounted that in a meeting with President Bola Tinubu, Fubara agreed to the president’s directives and requested that his own allies not face punishment. The President, according to Okocha, reassured him of a fair reconciliation process.
Okocha further highlighted the complications arising from Fubara’s non-compliance. “Following that meeting, rumors surfaced claiming that Fubara had been pressured into compliance or ambushed,” he explained, attributing these narratives to “fifth columnists” with vested interests.
He questioned the governor’s failure to implement the President’s directive and court ruling, warning that operating a state without a ratified budget endangers financial accountability.
“Is it right for the governor to run a state without a budget?” ,“Such actions are dangerous, as they leave the state’s expenditures unchecked and potentially limitless.” He added.
