Rivers: APC slams Olayinka, Okocha over comments on Ada George

The Rivers State Chapter of the All Progressives Congress, APC, has criticized recent comments made by Lere Olayinka, Senior Special Adviser on Public Communication and Social Media to the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, FCT, and Tony Okocha, a factional chairman of the APC in Rivers State, over their remarks against former governor of the state, Chief Rufus Ada George.

In a statement signed by the Publicity Secretary of the Emeka Beke-led APC in the state, Darlington Nwauju, the party described the April 10, 2025, remarks as a deliberate attempt to shield FCT Minister Nyesom Wike from what it called “the needless political crises brought upon Rivers State owing to greed, vain glory and outright narcissism”.

Nwauju noted that the comments by Olayinka and Okocha were disrespectful and failed to address the substantial issues earlier raised by Chief Ada George.

He added that their behavior reflects a growing disregard for traditional institutions and a worrying trend of disrespect towards elder statesmen.

The APC specifically challenged a claim made by Olayinka, who cited the 2008 report of the Justice Kayode Eso-led Rivers State Truth and Reconciliation Commission, alleging that Ada George sponsored the Bush Boys and incited violence in 2001.

The party, however, stated categorically that no part of the 571-page report indicted Chief Ada George, whose tenure as governor (January 1992 – November 1993) predates the commission’s jurisdiction.

Further criticizing Okocha’s alignment with Wike, the APC accused the former of ignoring a troubling legacy under Wike’s leadership.

It listed several incidents, including killings in Omoku and other communities, bombings at campaign venues, destruction of opponents’ properties, arbitrary arrests, attacks on media houses, and the use of Executive Orders to stifle dissent.

The party said Okocha’s recent posture contradicts his past actions, claiming he previously worked against APC interests for personal benefit.

In defending Ada George’s legacy, the APC referenced several development projects initiated during his administration, saying, “Let us agree that Okocha is not aware of any recorded achievement of the Ada George administration, we understand his current situation as a man under the hypnotic influence of a fellow man.

“We will ignore his mischief by listing a few of the projects undertaken/executed by the Ada George administration – Kpean-Andoni-Bonny road (now christened Unity Road), Airport-NTA-Ada George Road, Ada George-Mile 3 road, construction of Iriebe trailer park, Okrika ring road, state-of-the-art library at RSU, Yenagoa/Kolo/Nembe road (now in Bayelsa State), Elekahia-Trans Amadi link road, Elekahia-Pabod Brewery by-pass road, Emohua-Degema-Abonnema road, Rivers State House in Abuja, and others.”

It added, “We invite Rivers people and Nigerians to now judge the facts against the congenitally defective imaginations of Lere Olayinka and Tony Okocha.

“We have mentioned some of the achievements of the Ada George administration under the space of 22 months which Okocha’s impaired assessment will never acknowledge.

“No matter how fast deceits, half-truths and outright lies travel, the truth must catch up with it.”

Concluding, the APC tendered an apology to the former governor, “We render an unreserved apology on behalf of Rivers APC to our former Governor and elder statesman, H.E Chief Rufus Ada George for the wicked lies published against him and the failed attempt by hirelings to distort history.”