OKOCHA: I RIGGED ELECTIONS UNDER ROTIMI AMAECHI
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Chief Tony Okocha, the embattled chairman of the Rivers State wing of the All Progressives Congress (APC), shockingly admitted to have rigged local council elections when former Governor Rotimi Amaechi was in office. Judge Sika Aprioku of the Port Harcourt High Court recently removed Okocha from his position as chairman of the Rivers APC Caretaker Committee.
Okocha was Amaechi’s chief of staff from 2007 to 2015. Chief Emeka Beke, who had been expelled from office by the APC’s national leadership, was reinstated by the court.
According to Premium Politics, Chief Emeka Beke’s party leadership was restored by Justice Aprioku after the APC national leadership had removed him from office.
Speaking on a Channels TV show on Thursday night, Okocha asserted—backed by the Rivers APC National Working Committee—that Beke was also complicit in the manipulation of the election under the Amaechi administration.
“On the issue of whether I rigged the election, I did not hide it. I should be praised as a whistleblower.,” he said before being cut by the interviewer who told him that election riggers should be behind bars. “No,” he responded, “If you were an armed robber yesterday, and today you came to confess that you stole something somewhere yesterday. Are you saying that the law will now take a retroactive effect? The answer is No.
“The reason why we say and keep saying is because of what is going on as we speak. When you have an idea of a thing and you see the other person also wants to use the tactics that you already know. You will shout. That is the reason why we went to court.”
When quizzed about who gave the orders to rig the elections, he added, “Yes, all of us were together including Emeka Beke,” implicating the reinstated Rivers APC chair.
Beke, who conducted the interview with Okocha, swiftly refuted the accusations, stating that Okocha will be arrested by the police for manipulating the election.
Beke said, “During the election, was I part of it? Have you ever heard me say rig election?” before being countered by Okocha who asked, “Are you saying that under the Amaechi government, you never participated.”
“I did not follow you to the election. I did not partake in any election whatsoever. When you wake up and confess and you want to put me there. I am not part of that. You rigged the election and we are going to ask the police to arrest you that you rigged the election,” Beke replied.
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