The National Working Committee (NWC) of the All Progressives Congress (APC) has dissolved the Rivers State Executives of the party at all levels following a protracted crisis in the chapter of the party.
The National Publicity Secretary of the party, Felix Morka, disclosed this while briefing newsmen on Wednesday after the meeting of the NWC held at the party’s National Secretariat in Abuja.
He revealed that the NWC has, however, resolved to appoint a seven-member Caretaker Committee to steer the party’s affairs in the state for the next six months.
Members of the committee are: Chief Tony Okocha, who will serve as Chairman, while Chief Eric Nwibani will serve as the Secretary.
Other members of the committee are: Hon. Chibuike Ikenga, Prince Stephen Abolo, Hon. Silvester Vidin, Senibo Dan-Jumbo and Miss Darling Amadi
TheHintsNews reports that Okocha had in July made a strong case for the immediate past Governor of Rivers State, Chief Nyesom Wike, to be given the ministerial slot meant for the state, arguing that the victory of President Bola Tinubu in the state was made possible by Wike.
He was of the view that neither the Social Democratic Party’s Governorship candidate, Magnus Abe, nor the immediate past Transport minister, Rotimi Amaechi, deserved the slot, having not worked for Tinubu’s success, as Wike, a member of the opposition Peoples Democratic Party PDP did. Wike had since been appointed as Federal Capital Territory FCT Minister.
Morka noted that the party’s decision was signed by the National Chairman, Dr. Abdullahi Umar Ganduje and Deputy National Secretary, Barr. Festus Fuanter.
He said: “The NWC of the APC at its meeting on 22 November 2023 and pursuant to the powers conferred upon it by the NEC of the party and in accordance with the provision of Article 13 and recognizing compelling circumstances that have arisen in the Rivers state chapter necessitating decisive actions hereby resolves that the executive committees of the party in Rivers state at all levels are dissolved.
“A caretaker committee shall be appointed to conduct a comprehensive and e-registration of all members in the state. To facilitate the emergence of new executive committees extending from wards to the state”.
Morka added that the committee which would be inaugurated on Friday in Abuja would have six months to carry out its tasks which will mark the end of the caretaker committees at all levels.
“The Caretaker Committee subject to the directives of the NWC was entrusted with preparing for the conduct of congresses to facilitate the emergence of new Executive Committees for the party at various levels, extending from the ward to the State.