Rivers APC Chieftain Criticizes Tony Okocha, Urges NBA Intervention in Party Dispute

Chief Eze Chukwuemeka Eze calls on the Nigerian Bar Association to address Tony Okocha’s involvement in the Rivers APC crisis.

The Rivers State chapter of the All Progressives Congress (APC) has found itself at the center of another political controversy, with Chief Eze Chukwuemeka Eze, a former National Publicity Secretary of the defunct New Peoples Democratic Party (nPDP), taking aim at Tony Okocha, who has been presenting himself as the Caretaker Committee Chairman of the party in the state.

Eze, a prominent figure within the APC, dismissed Okocha as a “political jobber” and an “agent” working under the influence of former Rivers State Governor and current Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike. He further accused Okocha of meddling in the party’s affairs and pretending to hold a leadership position, despite a court ruling recognizing Chief Emeka Beke as the legitimate chairman of the Rivers APC.

Okocha’s recent criticism of the judiciary and the Rivers State branch of the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA) sparked Eze’s harsh rebuke. Okocha had lashed out following the NBA’s disapproval of his actions, which contradicted the court’s decision against his appointment as caretaker chairman.

Eze has since called on the NBA to take action against Okocha, citing his “uncultured behavior” and disrespectful media conduct as reasons for intervention. The APC chieftain described Okocha as a threat to societal values and urged the media to stop recognizing him as a legitimate APC leader in the state.

The conflict escalated when Okocha publicly criticized Pastor Tonye Cole, the APC’s 2023 governorship candidate, labeling him a pawn of Wike and former Minister of Transportation, Rotimi Amaechi. Eze dismissed these claims as baseless, asserting that Cole is politically independent and not under the influence of any political figures.

Eze also criticized the Forum of APC State Chairmen for backing Okocha’s claims and supporting the actions of APC National Chairman, Abdullahi Ganduje, in disregarding the court ruling. Eze referred to the Forum as “marauders” working in league with Wike to destabilize the party.

Despite the ongoing turmoil, Eze reaffirmed that Chief Emeka Beke remains the rightful leader of the Rivers APC, and no legal maneuvers or manipulations will alter that reality. He also questioned Okocha’s membership in the party, labeling him a “mole” planted by Wike to create division within the APC.

This latest confrontation further deepens the internal conflict within the Rivers State APC, leaving the party’s future in uncertainty. The Nigerian Bar Association’s response to Eze’s call for intervention, as well as the next steps taken by the party’s leadership, will be crucial in determining the resolution of this power struggle.