Rivers All Progressives Congress (APC) chairman, Chief Tony Okocha, has made startling revelations about his involvement in rigging local council elections during the tenure of former Governor Rotimi Amaechi.
Okocha, who served as Amaechi’s Chief of Staff from 2007 to 2015, made the admission during an interview on Channels TV, adding that the reinstated Rivers APC chairman, Chief Emeka Beke, was allegedly also involved.
Okocha, who was recently removed as Rivers APC Caretaker Committee chairman by a Port Harcourt High Court and replaced by Beke, did not shy away from addressing his role in election rigging. He claimed he should be seen as a "whistleblower" for coming forward.
"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 further explained that his public statements were meant to prevent others from using the same tactics he once employed. "When you have an idea of a thing and you see the other person also wants to use the tactics that you already know. You will shout. That is the reason why we went to court."
When pressed on who was behind the election rigging orders, Okocha directly implicated Beke, saying, "Yes, all of us were together including Emeka Beke."
Beke, who appeared alongside Okocha during the interview, immediately rejected the accusations and warned that the police would arrest Okocha for his admission of rigging. "During the election, was I part of it? Have you ever heard me say rig election?" Beke asked before Okocha countered, "Are you saying that under the Amaechi government, you never participated?"
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.”