By Akinwale Kasali
The All Progressives Congress, APC, in Rivers State has announced the suspension of its State Chairman, Emeka Beke. It, also denounced its Leader, the immediate past Minister for Transportation, Chibuike Amaechi, and distanced itself from his activities.
Beke’s suspension was announced by the Rivers State Executive Committee of the Party on Wednesday.
He was suspended alongside the Party’s Legal Adviser, Iheanyichukwu Azubuike, over alleged anti-party activities and financial misconduct.
Also, the SEC dissociated itself from the comments allegedly made by the former Minister of Transportation, Rotimi Amaechi, that the President-elect, Bola Ahmed Tinubu, single handedly nominated Mahmood Yakubu as the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, Chairman.
Special Leader of the party’s executive committee in the state, Chike Eyinda, who led other members to a media briefing in Port Harcourt, disclosed this on Wednesday.
It noted that the activities of Beke and Amaechi had adversely affected the party in the last couple of years, culminating in its dismal outing in the just concluded general election.
He said, “We, the members of the State Executive Committee, therefore resolve as follows: That Chef Emeka Beke, the chairman of the APC in Rivers State, is hereby suspended indefinitely for anti-party activities, gross misconduct and financial mismanagement pending the outcome of an independent committee of inquiry as may be set up by the party.
“That until the outcome of the committee of inquiry, Mr. Omiete Eferebo, the deputy chairman assumes the office of the acting chairman with immediate effect.
“That Mr. Iheanyichukwu Azubuike, the Legal Adviser of the party also stands suspended for anti-party activities and financial mismanagement pending the outcome of the committee of inquiry.”
He further said the trio of Amaechi, Beke, and Azubuike had since 2021 held the Rivers APC on its knees.
Enyinda stated, “These leaders have been responsible for the mass exodus of members of the party as well as the failures experienced by the party in the just concluded general elections in the state.
“To demonstrate this, Rt. Hon. Amaechi, who contested and lost the Presidential primary to the President-elect, Bola Tinubu, in active connivance with the State Chairman and the Legal Adviser, a week to the Presidential Election, called the leadership of the party to a meeting and directed all the APC members in the state to work for the PDP in the general election.
He further alleged that Amaechi’s earlier instruction backfired on the APC during the March 18 Governorship Election, as no contrary instruction was given to the party’s supporters in the various local government areas to counter the earlier instruction.
“And this accounted for the party’s loss on the 18th March governorship and state assembly elections.
“Instead of being remorseful for what he did to the party, Rt. Hon. Chibuike Amaechi decided to hinge the blame on our dear President-elect, Bola Tinubu, claiming that he singlehandedly appointed the INEC, Chairman Yakubu Mahmood.”
