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The All Progressives Congress has denied reports that the party received about N2 billion in financial support from the Rivers State Governor, Nyesom Wike, for its presidential candidate, Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu, prior to the election.
Meridianspy reports that Tinubu, who emerged winner of the presidential election held last Saturday, also won Rivers State ahead of the Atiku Abubakar of the Peoples Democratic Party and the Labour Party’s Peter Obi.
There were reports that Wike had released about N2 billion to enable the APC to organise the presidential campaign in the state and ensure the victory of Tinubu in the state.
Recall that a member of the APC Presidential Campaign Council, Chief Tony Okocha, had told newsmen on Thursday that the party got human and financial support from Wike.
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Okocha further said the contributions of Governor Wike were instrumental in the APC’s victory in Rivers State.
But briefing newsmen in Port Harcourt on Friday, the Coordinator, Tinubu/Shettima Grassroot Independent Campaign Council, Augustine Nwokocha, said the APC neither received any money nor assistance from Governor Wike.
Nwokocha said Chief Okocha only spoke for himself, adding that the APC and the people of the state worked together for Tinubu’s emergence.
He stated that Tinubu’s victory was a natural cause of events as a result of his “pragmatism,” stating that the credit for the victory of Tinubu belonged to APC and the people of Rivers State who voted massively during the election.
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“We state that the victory of our President-elect was a natural cause of event given his phenomenal pedigree as an astute politician per excellence, administrator with an unmatchable track record of achievements foresight and bold visions.
“A man reputed as a mason of men. It is important, however, to state that the credit for the victory of Bola Tinubu and the APC in Rivers State belongs to all Rivers persons who turned out to vote for the candidate of our party and to the dynamic campaign structure that carried the message of renewed hope to all the nooks and crannies of Rivers State.
“We are not unmindful of the forces that coalesced to hand our President-elect this pan-Nigeria victory at the polls.
“And we trust in the incoming administration to fully demonstrate to every Nigerian that this vote of confidence shall never be misplaced or taken for granted.
“It is however insidious for any individual to appropriate the performance of APC in Rivers State during the just concluded presidential elections to anyone.”
He however called on all Rivers people and members of the APC to vote their preferred choices in the March 11, 2023 governorship election, saying they would not support Siminialaye Fubara, who is Governor Wike’s choice and the PDP candidate.
“Rivers people should reject the call to vote the governor’s preferred candidate. It is an extension of the rascality which the government of the day in the state stands for. We are democrats, we have our better opinions.
“We did not receive any money from Rivers State governor or the state. If he did we were not privy to it. We are not aware,” Nwokocha said.
