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RIVERS POLITICAL CRISIS ESCALATES AS FUBARA, AMAECHI FORM ALLIANCE, WIKE’S MEN ON EDGE
The political landscape in Rivers State is heating up as the alliance between Governor Siminialayi Fubara and former Governor Chibuike Rotimi Amaechi continues to gain momentum, leaving loyalists of Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Barr. Nyesom Wike, in a state of growing unease.
This brewing political romance became evident following the recent Rivers State High Court decision that ousted Tony Okocha as the caretaker committee chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC) and reinstated Emeka Beke as the party’s chairman.
The court ruling, presided over by Justice Sika Aprioku in Port Harcourt, was in response to a legal challenge by party members seeking to restore the Beke-led executive, which had previously been removed by the APC’s national leadership.
The implications of this court decision have been profound, significantly weakening Wike’s influence in the state’s political arena. With ongoing court battles that could potentially shift the balance of power between Wike’s and Fubara’s camps, the removal of Okocha—a key figure backed by the APC at the national level—has dealt a blow to Wike’s political stronghold.
Before his removal, Okocha, a former Chief of Staff to Amaechi and currently the Rivers State representative at the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC), had been a strategic supporter of the Hon. Martins Amaewhule-led faction of the Rivers State House of Assembly. His backing of this faction, particularly amid the defection of Amaewhule and 25 other lawmakers from the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to the APC, had created significant challenges in proving the legality of the defection—a move that could see their seats declared vacant, thus solidifying the position of the Hon. Victor Oko-Jumbo-led faction.
Despite a Court of Appeal ruling that nullified the expulsion of Amaewhule and 24 others, the issue of their membership status remains unresolved, with the matter now awaiting a final decision from the Federal High Court.
Emeka Beke, the reinstated APC chairman, has asserted that Amaewhule and the defected lawmakers are now members of the APC, even threatening disciplinary action against them for failing to attend a recent strategic party meeting.
Speaking during a Stakeholders meeting in Port Harcourt, Beke made it clear that the defected lawmakers cannot remain neutral, emphasizing that they are fully integrated into the APC and will be held accountable for their actions.
“We will find out why they refused to attend this meeting,” Beke warned. “If there is no cogent reason for their absence, we will take disciplinary action against all our members who refused to attend.”
Meanwhile, Tony Okocha has not taken his removal lightly, accusing Amaechi of using Beke as a pawn in a broader strategy to challenge President Bola Tinubu in the 2027 elections through the APC. Okocha, known for his outspoken criticism, has vowed to resist what he describes as Amaechi’s attempt to install a “stooge” within the party, accusing the former Transportation Minister of seeking to control the APC for his personal ambitions.
“The truth is, Amaechi wanted a surrogate, a stooge who would do his bidding,” Okocha declared. “But we will not allow that to happen.”
As the political chess game in Rivers State continues to unfold, all eyes are on the evolving dynamics between these powerful figures. With court decisions pending and alliances shifting, the battle for control in Rivers State is far from over, promising more drama and intrigue in the days to come.
