The formal caretaker chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Rivers State, Tony Okocha, has once again accused the governorship candidate of the party in the last election, Tonye Cole, of playing anti-party politics against President Bola Ahmed Tinubu.
Speaking via a statement on Wednesday, Okocha stated that all through the 2023 campaign season no picture of Tinubu appeared on the billboards, banners, or posters of Tonye Cole as a support for the presidential candidate of the APC.
He opened up on those who secretly supported the PDP presidential candidate, Atiku Abubakar, despite being party members of the APC.
Okocha claimed that Tinubu was fully aware that Cole was against his presidency.
He alleged that this was the reason the President blatantly snubbed the attempt by Tonye Cole to shake hands with him at his residence after his presidential victory.
According to him, “First, it is no longer a hidden secret that Mr. Tonye Cole is an ardent supporter of the presidential candidate of the PDP in the last election, Alhaji Atiku Abubakar. Every Nigerian, including the leader of the APC, President Tinubu, and the National Chairman of the APC, is aware that Tonye Cole, Amaechi, Emeka Bekee, et al. massively supported Atiku Abubakar of the PDP during the last presidential election against the presidential candidate of the APC, Ahmed Bola Tinubu.
“We are equally aware that the spectacular trashing of their master, Rt. Hon. Rotimi Chibuike Amaechi, by Tinubu, during the APC presidential primary election was not far from the reason why they abandoned and rejected Tinubu, and instead, opted for Atiku Abubakar.
“No wonder President Tinubu was reluctant when he was speaking during the APC presidential campaign rally at Yakubu Gowon Stadium in Port Harcourt in 2022 to solicit votes for Tonye Cole from Rivers people, because he was fully aware that Tonye Cole was totally against him and the APC and was rather supporting Atiku Abubakar.
“Who does not know that throughout Tonye Cole’s campaign in Rivers State in 2023, there were none of his billboards, banners, or posters that featured the picture of Tinubu, his party’s presidential candidate? Tonye Cole, as instructed by Atiku Abubakar and Rotimi Amaechi, completely avoided any association with Tinubu throughout his campaign rallies.”
