Amaechi: “I rigged elections as chief of staff” – Rivers APC chieftain, Okocha

Tony Okocha, the embattled former Rivers State Chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC), has openly admitted to his involvement in rigging local council elections during the administration of ex-Governor Rotimi Amaechi.

Okocha, who served as Amaechi’s Chief of Staff from 2007 to 2015, was recently removed from his position as Rivers APC Caretaker Committee Chairman by a ruling from Justice Sika Aprioku of the Port Harcourt High Court.

In an interview on Channels TV, Okocha stated that his role in election rigging during Amaechi’s tenure was well-known and not a secret.

He went on to claim that he should be commended as a whistleblower, but the host interrupted, pointing out that election riggers belong behind bars, a suggestion Okocha disagreed with.

The APC chieftain asserted he should be praised as a whistleblower before the TV host interrupted, saying election riggers should be behind bars, to which he objected.

He said, “On the issue of whether I rigged the election, I did not hide it. I should be praised as a whistleblower.

“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.

“The reason why we say and keep saying is because of what is going on as we speak. 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.”