Leaders of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Rivers State have dismissed former Governor Nyesom Wike’s claim of contributing to the impressive growth of the party in the state. According to a document released to the media on Thursday, the leaders clarified that the party’s growth has been steadily organic since its inception in 2015.
They emphasized that the party’s growth pattern was consistent and achieved through internal efforts, reaching a milestone by surpassing its 2015 votes during the 2019 elections when Wike was the Governor on the ticket of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).
The group highlighted that APC’s growth from 2015 to 2019 recorded an increase of 23.8%, narrowing the gap between the party and the PDP’s lead. In the 2023 presidential election, APC gained an additional 80,881 votes in Rivers State.
The leaders questioned Wike’s claim of helping Rivers APC with only 80,881 votes, considering the party’s organic growth since 2019. They pointedly asked about the large number of votes Wike obtained for PDP in previous elections, which far surpassed the claimed contribution to APC.
Addressing Wike’s affiliation with APC, the leaders suggested that his move to the party was merely a political strategy after losing his polling unit and ward in the elections. They alleged that Wike aimed to exploit APC’s presence in Rivers State for his benefit.
The group clarified that the difference in APC’s performance between 2015 and 2019 was 82,000 votes, and the same difference between 2019 and 2023 is 80,000 votes. They also refuted claims of support from PDP members, asserting that some secretly voted for the Labour Party, and others supported PDP in their respective polling units.
Looking ahead, the APC leaders expressed confidence in the combined efforts of party technocrats in Rivers State and the leadership of President Bola Tinubu, envisioning significant progress in the nation’s growth. They anticipate the APC’s complete takeover of the state in the 2027 elections.
