The Rivers State chapter of the All Progressives Congress (APC) has firmly rejected the potential membership of the former governor of the state, Nyesom Wike. Accusing him of terrorizing the party for eight years, the party has declared that Wike will not be allowed to join its ranks.
Darlington Nwauju, the current Publicity Secretary of the party, emphasized that Wike's actions during his time as governor make him an enemy of the party, thereby disqualifying him from joining. In a statement issued on Monday, Nwauju stated that the terror unleashed on party members throughout Wike's maximum rulership clearly demonstrates that he has no place within the Rivers State APC.
The statement further read: "Asking him to come and take over is asking an enemy to come and finish off his victims. We are aware of his schemes to escape justice over the looting of the collective patrimony of Rivers people, which is the major reason for his romancing top APC members. For those who may be suffering from amnesia, a non-APC member cannot be a cheerleader for the entry of Wike into APC."
During the previous presidential election, Wike openly campaigned for President Bola Tinubu, a member of the APC. Wike, a member of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), had abandoned his party's presidential candidate, Atiku Abubakar, in favor of supporting Tinubu.
In response to Wike's commitment to ensuring Tinubu's victory, Tony Okocha, an APC chieftain and former Chief of Staff at the Rivers State Government House, expressed that Wike deserves the consequences of his actions in making Tinubu successful in the 2023 presidential election. Okocha acknowledged Wike's right to join any party but emphasized that Wike should not delay in joining the APC to reap the benefits of his efforts in supporting Tinubu's candidacy.
The demands put forth by Okocha include handing over the party's share of the benefits received by Wike for his support of Tinubu, stating that Wike knows who worked for Tinubu and should ensure their due compensation.
