Chief Tony Okocha, the chairman of the Rivers All Progressives Congress (APC), has made shocking disclosures on his role in the manipulation of local council elections while former Governor Rotimi Amaechi was in office.
In an appearance on Channels TV, Okocha, who was Amaechi’s chief of staff from 2007 to 2015, acknowledged the involvement, and he also mentioned Chief Emeka Beke, the chairman of the Rivers APC who had been reinstated.
Beke took over as head of the Rivers APC Caretaker Committee after Okocha was dismissed by a Port Harcourt High Court, and he did not hold back while discussing his involvement in election tampering. He asserted that by coming out, he ought to be regarded as a “whistleblower”.
“On the issue of whether I rigged the election, I did not hide it. I should be paid as a whistleblower,” Okocha stated before being interrupted by the interviewer, who remarked that election riggers should be in jail.
Okocha responded, “No. 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.”
Okocha went on to say that he made his public remarks in an effort to discourage others from employing the same strategies that he used. “When you realise someone else wants to employ the same strategies you have already established and you have an idea for something. You’ll yell. That’s the reason we filed a lawsuit.”
Okocha named Emeka Beke specifically when he was questioned about who was behind the orders to rig the election. He said, “Yes, all of us were together, including Emeka Beke.”
Beke responded firmly, “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.”
