The embattled Chairman of the All Progressives Congress in Rivers State, Tony Okocha, has accused Governor Siminalayi Fubara of interfering in the affairs of the opposition party and influencing court rulings in the state.
Okocha alleged that Fubara has turned the state judiciary into a “supermarket” where judgments are bought to favour his interests.
He was reacting to a recent ruling by a Rivers State High Court that nullified the APC’s congresses in the state, a development he attributed to the governor’s meddling.
Speaking during a press briefing on Sunday at his Rumuigbo residence in Obio/Akpor Local Government Area, Okocha did not hold back in his criticism.
Okocha claimed the presiding judge, Justice Godswill Obomanu, hails from the same Opobo community as Fubara, insinuating bias in the court’s decision.
“In fact, he [Fubara] is the person behind this macabre dance. He is not even a member of the PDP but is busy meddling in APC affairs. Instead of causing confusion, he should focus on getting himself back into the PDP register,” Okocha said.
He added, “The judiciary in Rivers State is now a supermarket where the governor goes to buy judgments. Cases are assigned at his whim. This manipulation is damaging the state’s judiciary.”
Okocha also defended the party’s decision to hold congresses, insisting they were conducted transparently and in line with the APC national secretariat’s directives.
“I bought my form for N3 million and campaigned widely. The people decided I should continue as chairman because I’ve done well. Yet, the governor and his allies are using the judiciary to create chaos,” he said.
He accused the judiciary in Rivers of being complicit in actions detrimental to justice, citing past incidents where judges from the state were sanctioned by the National Judicial Council.
In a swift reaction, Special Assistant to Governor Fubara on Electronic Media, Jerry Omatsogunwa, dismissed Okocha’s claims as baseless.
Omatsogunwa challenged Okocha to substantiate his allegations, noting that Governor Fubara remains a bonafide member of the People’s Democratic Party.
“Governor Fubara has attended several PDP Governors’ Forum meetings. If he were not a PDP member, he wouldn’t be part of such gatherings,” Omatsogunwa stated.
He faulted Okocha for attributing ethnic undertones to court rulings, emphasizing that the judiciary operates independently.
“When you disobey a court order and the law catches up with you, how does that concern the governor? Instead of blaming the governor, APC should resolve its internal crisis,” Omatsogunwa added.
Omatsogunwa also highlighted Fubara’s focus on governance, citing the recent three-week stretch of project commissioning and flag-offs across the state.
“The governor is busy delivering on his promises to Rivers people. He has no time for APC’s internal squabbles,” he said.
