The APC Caretaker Chairman in Rivers State, Tony Okocha has alleged that his assumption of office as APC Chairman was not a case of parallel leadership, but rather a consequence of Emeka Beke’s removal due to anti-party activities. He stated that the NEC’s decision to sack Beke and dissolve the party’s executive led to his appointment, along with his colleagues, to fill the leadership vacuum.
Although he stated how he had been critical of the party’s leadership under Emeka Beke, who was allegedly imposed by Rotimi Amaechi. He argued that Beke’s leadership was incapable of effectively guiding the party, particularly given the intellectual caliber of its members, including professors, PhD holders, and lawyers. He alleged that the party’s leadership selection process prioritized loyalty over intellectual rigor and critical thinking.
He said in an interview with AIT From 3:56, ”I didn’t appoint myself as the APC Chairman in the first place, I didn’t contest election with Emeka Beke. So it’s not a case of parallel leadership. Emeka Beke was found guilty of anti-party and NEC decided to sack him as the party Chairman. And the NEC went on further to dissolve the other executive of the party and that was how I was drafted in with my other colleagues. We didn’t lobby one day to be Chairman of the party, I didn’t have any job to do.
I had been very critical of the party because Emeka Beke himself was imposed on the party by Rotimi Amaechi. At the time when the party needed a leadership when I was an ally to distinguished Senator Magnus Abe, we fought this matter and we said that the Chairman being handpicked by Amaechi is not capable to lead the party. And the argument they made was that they are looking for somebody who has strict mentality and it was laughable indeed. Because you are going to preside over Professors, PhD holders and Lawyers and you say you are looking for somebody who has strict mentality.”