APC Chairman in Rivers State Appeals for Reversal of Leadership Dissolution Decision

Emeka Beke, the embattled Chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Rivers State, has called on the Party’s National Chairman, Abdullahi Ganduje, to reconsider the decision made by the National Working Committee (NWC) to dissolve the party’s leadership in the state.

Beke made the appeal on Thursday in Port Harcourt, asserting that the tenure of the party’s executive in the state has not yet expired.

The Ganduje-led APC NWC had announced the dissolution of the Rivers executives on Wednesday in Abuja, appointing a caretaker committee to oversee the party’s activities in the state for six months.

Chief Tony Okocha, appointed as the head of the caretaker committee, is known to have associations with former Peoples Democratic Party Governor, Nyesom Wike, currently in a national coalition with the APC.

The decision drew attention as President Bola Tinubu appointed Wike, a PDP member, as Rivers minister, sidelining APC members like Tonye Cole, the party’s governorship candidate in the 2023 general elections, and an ally of ex-governor Rotimi Amaechi, Wike’s political rival in Rivers State.

Reacting to the NWC decision on Thursday, Emeka, the dismissed chairman of the Rivers APC, argued that only the National Executive Committee (NEC) holds the authority to dissolve an elected state executive committee under the party’s constitution.

He stated, “What does the constitution of the party say? Only NEC has the moral right. I am surprised the NWC said it has that power. I don’t think there is any time the NEC gave them (NWC) the power to do that. It is so shocking and surprising.”

The dispute within the party continues, raising questions about the interpretation of the APC constitution and the exercise of authority within its ranks.