The All Progressives Congress (APC) in Ikwerre Local Government Area of Rivers State has declared that former governors Rotimi Amaechi and Celestine Omehia will be retired from active politics after the 2027 general elections.
The Director-General of the Ikwerre APC Campaign Organisation for the August 30 local government election, Obinna Ekem, made the declaration on Sunday while addressing supporters at the grand finale of their rally in Omagwa community.
Ekem expressed confidence that the APC would win decisively in all 13 wards of the LGA in the forthcoming polls, citing assurances from residents. He said the party was also preparing for the 2027 general elections, vowing a landslide victory for President Bola Tinubu despite the opposition alliance led by Amaechi and Omehia.
According to him, Ikwerre remained solidly under APC’s control, even though Amaechi and Omehia, who hail from the area, are members of the opposition coalition. He alleged that during Amaechi’s leadership of the APC in Rivers State, the party suffered repeated defeats, but since his defection to the African Democratic Congress (ADC), the APC had brighter electoral prospects.
Ekem urged President Tinubu to focus his political energy on national rivals such as former Vice President Atiku Abubakar and former Senate President David Mark, assuring that the Ikwerre APC would “handle Amaechi and Omehia” locally.
Backing the position, Rivers APC Chairman, Tony Okocha — who enjoys the support of the party’s national secretariat — called on residents not to allow any political party to dominate the forthcoming local government election.
Okocha also promised that the August 30 exercise would be more credible than the October 2024 poll conducted under suspended Governor Siminalayi Fubara, which was later annulled by the Supreme Court.
