By Jude Opara, Abuja
The Rivers state chapter of the All Progressives Congress (APC) at weekend elected Chief Tony Okocha as its new chairman.
Okocha, the former Caretaker Committee Chairman of the party in the state, was elected unopposed alongside other executives during the party’s state delegate congress held in Port Harcourt, the state capital on Saturday.
Meanwhile, the newly elected main opposition chairman in his acceptance speech vowed to ensure that the APC wins the 2027 governorship election in the oil rich state.
The delegate congress which was conducted through voice vote was presided over by Dr Adoye Omalez, who represented the party’s national chairman, Dr. Abdullahi Ganduje.
Speaking after the exercise, the APC National Vice Chairman, South-South, Chief Victor Giadom, commended the party delegates for the peaceful manner they conducted themselves during the state delegate congress.
Giadom stated that the peaceful conduct of the state delegate congress demonstrated the fact that APC in Rivers state is one united and indivisible party, even as he called party members to support the new executive of the party in order to move the party forward.
Chief Okocha, who was full of excitement said his election has gone a long way to prove all those who said the APC is not united and cannot conduct a peaceful election wrong.
He thanked President Bola Tinubu for his support and also praised him for his numerous achievements in office so far, saying they on course to reposition the nation’s economy.
“If you know me very well, I’m an emotional person. Our joy is that our members came on their own volition. Nobody cajoled anybody to come, nobody bamboozled anybody to come here for the state primary election.
“They came to show their love for the All Progressives Congress. I like to reassure you I’m sure you are seeing the indices and the variables already.
“Those who said APC cannot conduct elections lied. APC will conduct and win elections and be in charge of government in Rivers State. Our business with you supporting us is to ensure that we route out a rudderless government in Rivers State.
“By the year 2027 God keeping us alive, we will have an election in Rivers State and our target with you is to help us so that APC takes the reign of governance in Rivers State”, Okocha stated.
Okocha added that with the mandate given to him and other elected executive officials, the party is set to capture the state in 2027.
“From Assembly, local government areas, National Assembly, governorship election APC will win in Rivers state and also ensure that we return the hero of our time, President Bola Tinubu. Let me again use this opportunity to say to Nigerians that we are on cause. The APC is on cause in Nigeria I’m sure you have watched or you have heard what happened at the Port Harcourt Refinery some days ago? This is the tip of the iceberg that you will begin to see.
“We have told you many times that Rome was not built in a day. That the day you plant a seed is not the day you will harvest it. So in less than two years we have started up and running. The President has also directed that the Kaduna and Warri refineries should be on the same speed as the Port Harcourt Refinery. So when we can achieve this I’m sure the problems of Nigeria will be half solved.
“So let me say it to all of us, particularly my colleagues here, it’s one family. I want to assure you of the appreciation of APC in Rivers State that we will come up with the best for the interest of all of us. I want to thank the delegation from the National who have come here and dutifully and profoundly led this process to this right.
“Let me on behalf of the party thank you for your courage, dexterity for the love you have for the party. For this reason, you have left all that you are doing to come to Port Harcourt to superintendent this election to its logical conclusion. We would not have succeeded in concluding this process if INEC had not come to preside over this election. Of course, it’s their responsibility to preside over party primary elections. The leader of the delegation is no other person than the leader of INEC in the state he came here himself”.
The state delegate congress which also elected other executive members was supervised by the Rivers state Resident Electoral Commissioner (REC), Dr. Joseph Alalibo.
