Dr. Tony Okocha, the Chairman of the All Progressive Congress (APC) in Rivers State, has publicly clarified that Nyesom Wike, the current Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), is not a member of the APC.
Speaking to reporters in Abuja on Thursday, Okocha also addressed the status of 27 Rivers State lawmakers who are currently embroiled in a political dispute with the state governor, Siminalayi Fubara, saying they, too, have not joined the APC.
In his statement, Okocha debunked the rumors that Wike, who was previously the Governor of Rivers State, had defected to the APC.
“I need to make this clear to everyone. Much as I wish to have them in my fold, none of them has agreed to join us.
“I am the one that should know if they did. But, clearly, they have not.
“What the lawmakers did was a political gimmick.
“I tried to woo them, but they kept vacillating and did not.
“To defect, they must go to their wards, register and get their membership cards. None of them has done that,” he said.
He further dismissed the lawmakers’ political maneuvers as a “gimmick,” implying that their actions were more for political show than a genuine party switch.
When asked about Wike’s political future, Okocha stated that the former Rivers governor has consistently maintained his loyalty to the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).
“Wike will never leave the PDP. He has always said that PDP made him what he is,” Okocha said, adding that Wike is an “ardent believer” in the PDP and is unlikely to switch parties.
Despite Wike’s commitment to the PDP, Okocha acknowledged Wike’s role in the Renewed Hope Agenda, a political platform linked to President Bola Tinubu.
“In Rivers, I am 001 in APC, but in the Renewed Hope Agenda, I am 002. Wike is 001,” Okocha explained, indicating that while Wike may not be a member of the APC, he still plays a significant role in national political movements like the Renewed Hope Agenda.
On Wike’s lasting influence in Rivers State, Okocha expressed confidence that the former governor will remain a key player in the state’s politics for years to come.
“Wike has done so much for Rivers, so he is strong. In the next 10 years, Wike will continue to influence the political direction in Rivers. It will be difficult to uproot him,” Okocha said, pointing to Wike’s various projects and his direct impact on the people of Rivers State.
