The Rivers State All Progressives Congress Presidential Campaign Council and the Tinubu/Shettima Grassroots Independent Campaign Council has disowned a statement by a member of the council, Chief Tony Okocha.
Okocha while addressing a press conference in Port Harcourt had attributed Tinubu’s victory in the just concluded presidential polls in Rivers State to the State Governor, Nyesom Wike and assured that the council would reciprocate his gesture by supporting the governorship candidate of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP), Siminialiayi Fubara in the March 11 governorship election in Rivers State.
But the PCC in a statement by its Coordinator, Sir Augustine Wokocha, Secretary, Engr. Ineye Jack and Media Director, King Wenenda Onukwuru said Okocha spoke for himself alone and not for the council.
The statement reads:
“Our attention has been drawn to a press conference held by Chief Anthony C. Okocha and the statement made therein, purportedly for and on behalf of APC PCC/TSGICC Rivers State.
While we join Chief Okocha to congratulate our President-elect Senator Bola Ahmed Tinubu, his Vice, Senator Kashim Shetima and our party, the All Progressives Congress (APC), for this historic victory against a very distractive and vehemently divisive campaign hinged basically on religion, ethnicity and the natural vagaries of our humanity (age and ill-health).
We state that the victory of our president-elect was a natural cause of event given his phenomenal pedigree as an astute politician per excellence, administrator with an unmatchable track record of achievements, foresight and bold visions. A man reputed as a Mason of Men.
It is important however to state that the credit for the victory of Bola Ahmed Tinubu and the APC in Rivers State belongs to all Rivers persons who turned out to vote for the candidate of our party and to the dynamic campaign structure that carried the message of Renewed Hope toto all the ‘nooks and crannies’ of Rivers State.
We are not unmindful of the forces that coalesced to hand our President -Elect this pan Nigeria victory at the polls and we trust in the incoming administration to fully demonstrate to every Nigerian that this vote of confidence shall never be misplaced or taken for granted. It is, however, insidious for any individual to appropriate the performance of APC in Rivers State during the just concluded presidential elections.
Thanks to the BVAS technology deployed by INEC. Every Nigerian who was handed a ballot paper in the electioneering process had only one vote and our gratitude goes to everyone who placed their finger in the ballot spaces reserved for APC culminating in the victory of the party in the election.
Furthermore, it is important to state that every opinion, expressed by Chief Tony Okocha in his aforesaid Press Conference, is his personal opinion as he neither spoke for the PCC, nor for the TSG/ICC led by my humble self, Sir Augustine Wokocha in Rivers State. It is further important to state that at no time did the PCC/ICC meet to authorize Chief Tony Okocha to express the opinion and sentiments so expressed. PCC/ICC Nigeria, headquartered in Abuja and the President Elect, have not authorized any statement/sentiments such as those expressed by Chief Tony Okocha.
We therefore implore all Rivers residents who are eligible voters to turnup enmasse and reject the invitation of Chief Tony Okocha to support the extension of the rascality that the Rivers State Government of today represents and to massively come out, vote and insist that their votes count on the 11th of March, 2023 for a better Rivers State.
This election of 25th February, 2023 was a special one, it was special to the extent that victory was attained through the votes of under 36% of the total votes cast which in itself was under 11% of the population of Nigeria. It therefore means that close to 90% of Nigerians for whatsoever reasons did not speak and of the under 11% of the populace that voted, over 60% had a contrary opinion as to by whom and how this country should be governed.
As President Barrack Obama of the United States stated in his Presidential election victory speech on the 5th of November 2008,” To the vast majority of Nigerians whose votes Bola Ahmed Tinubu has yet to earn, we hear your voices, we need your help and Bola Ahmed Tinubu will be your President too.”
