The opposition All Progressives Congress, APC, in Rivers State has dismissed claims that, its leader Chibuike Rotimi Amaechi, Minister of Transportation was attempting to bribe some party members who dumped the party with the sum of N20m.
Coordinator of APC’s non-indigenes in the state, Callistus Nwachukwu alleged that its former coordinator, Chief Uchenna Okokoba; the former vice chairman, Wole Agunbiade and former Secretary, Alhaji Yusuf Tanko who dumped the party were trying to blackmail the Minister with the alleged bribe story.
Nwachukwu insisted that the three former APC members resigned their membership of the party for selfish reasons.
Addressing journalists yesterday in Port Harcourt, Nwachukwu said the three former officers should not be taken seriously.
He said, “On Saturday, our former coordinator, Chief Uchenna Okokoba; the former vice chairman, Wole Agunbiade; and the former Secretary, Alhaji Yusuf Tanko, went on air to announce the resignation of their portfolios and their membership of our great party, the APC, in Rivers State.
“Their resignation was unilateral. They did not consult the executive members of non-indigenes APC in Rivers State, the stakeholders, unit leaders and the elders of the party. We believe that their decision was borne out of their personal interest or for pecuniary reason.
“There is a rumour going round, which we deem necessary to debunk. The three former officers have been going round, claiming that our great leader, Rt. Hon. Chibuike Rotimi Amaechi, the Transportation Minister, through somebody, has been making overtures of N20 million to them to rescind their decision and return to the APC. That is a lie from the pit of hell.
“They are using it (N20 million overture claim) as a game plan to shore up their market value and increase their bargaining power with PDP. They do not possess any value. They should be very careful. The three estranged officers are on their own.
“Hon. Emma Chindah is one of the leaders of APC. There was never a time that Hon. Emma Chindah met with the so-called Okokoba, much less of offering him money.”
