The Rivers State chapter of the All Progressives Congress (APC) has explained why its chairman, Chief Tony Okocha, was absent from the recent unveiling of candidates endorsed by the Rainbow Coalition ahead of the 2027 general elections.
The party said Okocha travelled abroad for medical treatment after his health condition worsened, insisting that his absence had nothing to do with any disagreement with the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Nyesom Wike.
The APC made this clarification in a statement issued on Saturday by its Publicity Secretary, Chibike Ikenga, Naija News reports.
According to the party, Okocha obtained Wike’s approval before travelling, describing the minister as the National Leader of the Rainbow Coalition.
The statement dismissed reports of a disagreement between the two political figures, insisting that there was no rift between them.
It read, “There is NO DISAGREEMENT whatsoever and the Chairman will reunite with the party executive and the Rainbow Coalition upon his return from his medical trip.”
The party accused political opponents of spreading false reports about the relationship between Okocha and Wike in a bid to create divisions within the coalition.
It, therefore, urged members and supporters to disregard the reports, maintaining that its relationship with other parties in the Rainbow Coalition remained strong.
The APC also reaffirmed its commitment to working with other coalition members to secure victory for President Bola Tinubu, its governorship candidate, Kingsley Ogundu Chinda, and other candidates endorsed by the coalition in the 2027 elections.
The party further described the unveiling of the coalition’s candidates as a successful event, despite Okocha’s absence.
It reiterated its readiness to continue working with all parties under the Rainbow Coalition to achieve their political goals in the forthcoming elections.
Join the conversation
Comments
Want to discuss? Please read our Commenting Policy first.