The Pro-Democracy Coalition of Nigeria has described Tony Okocha, the embattled caretaker chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Rivers State, as a serial liar in urgent need of attention.
In a statement signed by its President, Comrade Jack Thomas, the group accused Okocha of being economical with the truth regarding projects inherited in the state. The statement highlights the significant achievements of Rivers State Governor, His Excellency Siminalayi Fubara, in his first year in office.
“As a Pro-democratic group that is carefully following events in Rivers State, we can attest to the giant strides recorded by the governor of River State, His Excellency Siminalayi Fubara, in his first year in office,” the statement read.
The coalition questioned how Okocha could describe Governor Fubara’s administration as a “government in intensive care unit” and countered claims that Fubara did not acknowledge former Governor Nyesom Wike for inherited projects. They cited Governor Fubara’s statement during his one-year scorecard presentation, where he disclosed inheriting 34 uncompleted road projects worth over N225.279 billion across 13 Local Government Areas.
“Fubara further disclosed that, out of the 34 inherited projects, his administration has completed 12 while others were ongoing. It is obvious Okocha needs basic lessons in English language to know that the projects Fubara admitted he inherited and completed were not initiated by his administration, but his predecessor(s),” the statement added.
ALSO READ:OSUN: Adeleke appoints four general managers for OSBC
The coalition advised Okocha to take basic lessons in English and criticized his claims that Fubara had done nothing in his first year in office. They highlighted Fubara’s commissioning of 21 road projects totaling about 68km across various Local Governments and achievements in education, health, and human capital development.
Fubara’s one-year scorecard has received commendation both within and outside Nigeria, including praise from the Association of Nigerian Professionals in Europe (ANPE), which described him as an asset to Nigeria’s democracy.
The statement concluded by urging journalists and Nigerians to consider Okocha unreliable and untruthful, citing his inconsistent claims about the political affiliations of defected lawmakers.
“We call on journalists and Nigerians across the country to consider Mr. Okocha as unreliable and untruthful, having previously claimed that the defected Rivers State Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) lawmakers were APC members, only for him to now turn around to say only membership card and name in a party’s register would prove the party that one belongs to,” Thomas said.
