APC hails judicial reprieve for sacked Rivers council chairmen

A federal court of appeal in Port Harcourt, Rivers State, has given what looks like a reprieve to the 22 local council chairmen sacked by Governor Nyesom Wike upon take-over of the administration of the state in May 2015.

This has brought jubilation in the opposition quarters in the state as the sacked council bosses belonged to the All Progressives Congress (APC), which lost the 2015 governorship election in the state.

The justice, Theresa Orji Abadua, granted leave to the 22 removed but elected chairmen of Local Government Councils in the state to appeal against the Federal High Court judgment nullifying their May 23, 2015 LG elections, without granting them permission to join as interested parties to the original matter.

The 22 chairmen have run from court to court including the industrial court in Yenagoa, nearby Bayelsa State, for reprieve but all doors seemed to be shut.

Reacting, the APC said “Today’s judgement by Justice Theresa Orji Abadua of the Federal Court of Appeal in Port Harcourt, granting leave to the 22 illegally removed elected Chairmen of Local Government Councils in Rivers State to appeal against the Federal High Court judgment nullifying their May 23, 2015 LG elections, without granting them permission to join as interested parties to the original matter, goes to demonstrate that despite the assault on the integrity and good conscience of the judiciary by elements at the helm of affairs in Rivers State executive arm, there are distinguished men and women of the hallowed bench of the Nigerian judiciary in Rivers State who are ready to stand for justice and damn Satan and his Greek gifts”.

The party went on: “It further demonstrates that the judiciary remains the last hope of the common man until the system provides another alternative. But for now, the judiciary remains the strong sanctuary for the down-trodden even though a few unsavoury exceptions happen time and again. We believe that the ruling today will serve the cause of justice as those chairmen were duly elected in line with relevant laws of the land.”

The APC in a statement issued by the publicity secretary, Chris Finebone, urged other courageous men and women of the Bench in the state to boldly look into the eyes of executive impunity at all times and under all circumstances and call their bluff by doing what is right before man and God Almighty, always remembering the solemn oath they have taken to serve justice to all at all times.