Chief Tony Okocha, the former Rivers State APC chairman and ex-Chief of Staff to former Governor Rotimi Amaechi, has made a shocking admission about his involvement in rigging local council elections during Amaechi's administration. Okocha revealed this during an interview on Channels TV, where he also implicated the current Rivers APC chairman, Chief Emeka Beke.
Okocha, who served as Amaechi's Chief of Staff between 2007 and 2015, made these revelations following his recent removal as Rivers APC Caretaker Committee chairman by a Port Harcourt High Court, which reinstated Beke as the party chairman. In the interview, Okocha stated that he should be regarded as a "whistleblower" for coming forward with this information.
"On the issue of whether I rigged the election, I did not hide it. I should be paid as a whistleblower," Okocha said. The interviewer, however, interrupted him, suggesting that election riggers should face legal consequences. Okocha responded, "No. If you were an armed robber yesterday and today you confess, the law doesn't take retroactive effect. The answer is no."
Okocha further elaborated that his admission was meant to deter others from using the same corrupt methods he once employed, stating, "When you see someone attempting to use tactics you already know, you must speak up. That’s why we went to court."
When pressed on who gave the orders for election rigging, Okocha directly named Emeka Beke as being involved. "Yes, all of us were together, including Emeka Beke," he said.
Beke, who was also present during the interview, vehemently denied the accusations, warning that Okocha's admission could lead to police action. "During the election, was I part of it? I never rigged an election," Beke stated. He added, "You rigged the election, and we will ask the police to arrest you for that."
The revelation has sparked widespread reactions, with many calling for an investigation into the election irregularities during Amaechi’s tenure.
No comments:
Post a Comment