Rivers APC suspends Chairman, Legal Adviser

The chairman of the party in Rivers State, Chief Emeka Beke, and the legal adviser, Iheanyichukwu Azubuike, were suspended by the All Progressives Congress’ Rivers State Executive Committee on Wednesday due to alleged financial malfeasance and anti-party activity.

Also, the SEC distanced itself from allegations made by Rotimi Amaechi, a former minister of transportation, that Bola Tinubu nominated Prof. Mahmood Yakubu to lead the Independent National Election Commission on his own.

Chike Eyinda, a special member of the party’s executive committee in the state, revealed this on Wednesday as he led other members to a press conference in Port Harcourt.

Eyinda 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 mismanaged the fortunes of the party in the state.

Read also:Rivers APC slams police for invitation to Tonye Cole over death of protester

Enyinda further noted, “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.”

Further, he said that Amaechi’s earlier directive had backfired on the APC during the March 18 governorship election since the party’s members in the various local government areas had not received a contrary directive to counter the directive.

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,” he said.

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