The division within the ranks of the All Progressives Congress in Rivers state may have been laid to rest, ahead of Wednesday’s Presidential rally in Port Harcourt, the state capital.
Governor Nyesom Wike had approved the Yakubu Gowon Stadium in Elekahia, Port Harcourt for the party’s Presidential Campaign Council.
To this effect, the chairman, Local Organising Committee for the Presidential rally, Chief Tony Okocha, led an inspection of the venue where facilities and equipment were being mounted on Sunday.
But it was gathered that the state governorship candidate of the APC, Tonye Cole, and top leaders of the party had insisted that the hosting should be under their care.
Okocha, who is a member of the Presidential Campaign Council and Chairman of the Bola Ahmed Tinubu (BAT-Vanguard) in the South-South, reportedly opposed it and insisted on the venue approved by Wike.
The situation led to a heated argument between the two groups, but as tempers began to rise, a former Presidential aspirant, Tein Jack-Rich, brokered peace among the feuding groups.
Jack-Rich in a viral video seen by our correspondent on Monday night appealed to the feuding parties to sink their differences and unite for the visit of the presidential candidate, on Wednesday, February 15, 2023.
He commended Okocha and the state APC Chairman, Chief Emeka Beke, and other party leaders for their efforts and preparation for the visit, there was only one APC in the state.
Jack-Rich stated, “When we came in here, we saw how rowdy it was. But the great news that I have to tell everybody right here is that right now we are united.
“We, as Rivers people, Rivers brothers’ and sisters’ are standing united together and also to support the leadership of the governorship candidate, Tonye Cole.
“We are also standing together in unity in support of the highest ranking party officer in our midst, who is the National Vice Chairman of APC, South-South, Chief Victor Giadom and Deputy Coordinator of the Presidential Campaign Council.
“We are also here in support of the great work by our brother, Tony Okocha, Dr. Dakuku Peterside and other key stakeholders that consider it key for this intervention and came here.
“We deliberated, we discussed and we are now united together to ensure that the rally of Wednesday turns out successful so that we can celebrate two great people, the Presidential candidate and the governorship standard bearer.”
He further said, “We know what has happened in the past hours, the good news is that we are now together. There is no longer division. To take that home is that we should go behind and continue to encourage this unity that we have worked so hard to build.”
Coast clear for Tinubu’s Rivers rally, APC factions reconcile
*Ex-presidential aspirant brokers peace
Dennis Naku, Port Harcourt
The division within the ranks of the All Progressives Congress in Rivers State may have been laid to rest, ahead of Wednesday’s Presidential rally in Port Harcourt, the state capital.
Governor Nyesom Wike had approved the Yakubu Gowon Stadium in Elekahia, Port Harcourt for the party’s Presidential Campaign Council.
To this effect, the chairman, Local Organising Committee for the Presidential rally, Chief Tony Okocha, led an inspection of the venue where facilities and equipment were being mounted on Sunday.
But it was gathered that the state governorship candidate of the APC, Tonye Cole, and top leaders of the party had insisted that the hosting should be under their care.
Okocha, who is a member of the Presidential Campaign Council and Chairman of the Bola Ahmed Tinubu (BAT-Vanguard) in the South-South, reportedly opposed it and insisted on the venue approved by Wike.
The situation led to a heated argument between the two groups, but as tempers began to rise, a former Presidential aspirant, Tein Jack-Rich, brokered peace among the feuding groups.
Jack-Rich in a viral video seen by our correspondent on Monday night appealed to the feuding parties to sink their differences and unite for the visit of the presidential candidate, on Wednesday, February 15, 2023.
He commended Okocha and the state APC Chairman, Chief Emeka Beke, and other party leaders for their efforts and preparation for the visit, there was only one APC in the state.
Jack-Rich stated, “When we came in here, we saw how rowdy it was. But the great news that I have to tell everybody right here is that right now we are united.
“We, as Rivers people, Rivers brothers’ and sisters’ are standing united together and also to support the leadership of the governorship candidate, Tonye Cole.
“We are also standing together in unity in support of the highest ranking party officer in our midst, who is the National Vice Chairman of APC, South-South, Chief Victor Giadom and Deputy Coordinator of the Presidential Campaign Council.
“We are also here in support of the great work by our brother, Tony Okocha, Dr. Dakuku Peterside and other key stakeholders that consider it key for this intervention and came here.
“We deliberated, we discussed and we are now united together to ensure that the rally of Wednesday turns out successful so that we can celebrate two great people, the Presidential candidate and the governorship standard bearer.”
He further said, “We know what has happened in the past hours, the good news is that we are now together. There is no longer division. To take that home is that we should go behind and continue to encourage this unity that we have worked so hard to build.”
