By Deborah Nnamdi
The factional Chairman of the All Progressives Congress, APC, in Rivers State, Tony Okocha, has denied reports circulating on social media claiming that he has defected from the camp of the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, FCT, Nyesom Wike, to align with Governor Siminalayi Fubara.
The rumors began after a photo appeared online at the weekend showing Okocha seated alongside the Chairman of Obio/Akpor Local Government Area, Chijioke Ihunwo.
The ongoing political crisis in Rivers State has caused a division among political figures, cutting across party lines.
While some have aligned with Fubara, others remain loyal to Wike.
A small group of politicians has chosen to stay indifferent amid the impasse.
The circulating image led to speculation that Okocha, during his purported meeting with Ihunwo, expressed intentions to join Governor Fubara’s camp.
However, in a statement issued on Sunday by his Special Assistant on Media, Vincent Gbosi, Okocha dismissed the claims, describing them as “cheap and infantile propaganda sponsored by political neophytes and promoted by their clueless followers on social media”.
The statement reads, “The purveyors of the allegation “cooked up a story with a photoshopped picture of Sir (Chief) Tony C. Okocha, DSSRS, JP, the Chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Rivers State, who also doubles as the Rivers State Representative in the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC).
“In their state of hallucination and confusion, these clueless fellows who are bereft of ideas stated that Sir (Chief) Tony C. Okocha paid “a courtesy visit to Hon. Chijioke Ihunwo, the Executive Chairman of Obio/Akpor LGA.“Ordinarily, we wouldn’t have bothered dignifying the fake and misleading piece of trash with a response but for the sake of the unsuspecting reading members of the public, especially the gullible ones.
“In the light of the above, we wish to clearly state that the said publication being circulated on social media is not only false, and fake news from the pit of hell, it is also defamatory, and a failed attempt to bring the hard-earned reputation and good image of Sir (Chief) Tony C. Okocha, DSSRS, JP, the Chairman of the APC in Rivers State, and the Rivers State Representative in the NDDC to disrepute. It is dead on arrival.
“It is clueless, unthinkable, unimaginable, inconceivable, and demeaning for anyone in his/her right senses to come up with the concoction that Sir (Chief) Tony C Okocha, DSSRS, JP, will pay “a courtesy visit to Hon. Chijioke Ihunwo, a well known political neophyte for any reason whatsoever.
“Sir (Chief) Tony C. Okocha is a man of character, and with his pedigree and towering credentials, it is understandable for toddlers like Chijioke Ihunwo and his likes to want to gain cheap attention by mentioning his name in their wishful thinking.
“The general public is therefore advised to disregard this complete misinformation as it is not true. It is false as it never happened, and will never happen.”
