A chieftain of the All Progressive Congress (APC) in Rivers State, Chief Tony Okocha, has insisted that former Governor of the State and one-time Minister of Transport, Rotimi Amaechi’s ineptitude, not only divided the party in the state, but weakened its chances of wrestling the governorship seat from the People’s Democratic Party (PDP).
Chief Okocha, who said this during a chat with journalists Wednesday in Abuja, added that Amaechi’s style as APC leader in the State was the reason why the party performed very poorly in the state.
“I can say that categorically, I can say that with verifiable facts that he was the reason why APC faltered in Rivers State. His nuances, his demeanour, didn’t point to a party that will grow.
“You cannot know all and do all in a democracy. You gather people in a democracy and allow them to ventilate. You don’t reel orders because you are managing human beings. Human beings are special species. A human being decides to sit in one place for years but the day you make a law compelling him to sit in that place goes away.
“His attitude, his ineptitude, personal idiosyncrasies never pointed to a party that will grow. He divided the party himself. He said with 300 people I will win elections in Rivers State, who does that” he said.
Okocha, who was the Chief of Staff to Amaechi, explained that after the former Governor lost the APC presidential primaries to President Tinubu, he abandoned the party and worked for Atiku Abubakar, the Presidential candidate of the PDP. He also accused Magnus Abe, former chieftain of the party in the state for abandoning the party in its very trying times.
National Chairman Protocol and Logistics Committee of the defunct Tinubu/Shettima Grassroot Independent Campaign Council (TSGICC), disclosed that the decision of the immediate past Governor of the state, Nyesom Wike to work for President Tinubu was a face saver for the party in the state.
According to him, if not for Wike, APC would not have gotten 25 per cent in the state.
Wike had openly declared that he worked for Tinubu because he wanted power to return to the south.
“He never took part in the struggle to ensure the emergence of Tinubu. When it mattered most you abandoned the man. You never believed in the course. They ran away. So, what are they laying claims to,” he queried.
He insisted that former Governor Wike deserved a ministerial position for the work he did for the party during the presidential elections.
