A former National Vice Chairman (North-West) of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Salihu Lukman, has reacted to the dissolution of Rivers State executives.

APC last week dissolved Rivers State Executives of the party at all levels and appointed a seven-member Caretaker Committee.

NWC appointed Tony Okocha as the head of the committee to steer the party’s affairs in the state for the next six months.

Lukman, in a statement issued on Monday titled, ‘End of Progressive Politics’, also accused President Bola Tinubu and the National Chairman of the party, Abdullahi Ganduje of entrenching “Garrison Politics” in the party.

The party chieftain said it was an indication that the NWC was preparing the stage for the emergence of the Minister of Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Nyesom Wike as the new leader of the party.

Lukman recalled that Okocha, who was alleged to be a supporter and political ally of Wike, led a delegation of Wike’s loyalists on a courtesy visit to the National Chairman of the party, Abdullahi Ganduje on Thursday, October 6 2023 where he alleged that Rotimi Ameachi worked against President Bola Tinubu in the last election.

He noted that even without those allegations, it was public knowledge that Amaechi and many other APC Presidential aspirants for the 2023 elections have taken a backseat largely because President Tinubu has not demonstrated any interest to work with them.

He said, “Given all these unfolding developments in APC, it is very clear that the NWC decision, dissolving Rivers State Executives of the party at all levels, is preparing the stage for the emergence of Barr. Wike as the new leader of APC in Rivers State.

“With Chief Okocha, who is alleged to be a political ally of Barr. Wike given the responsibility of serving as Caretaker Chairman, it simply means that all the new emerging executives for APC at all levels in Rivers State will be Barr. Wike’s supporters. This is the dirty politics at play in Rivers State.

“With such reality, it simply means, the structures of APC in FCT will also be dissolved to produce new APC leaders at all levels of the party who will be loyal to Barr. Wike.