The appeal court in Port Harcourt has delivered judgment in the case between two factions of the All Progressives Congress (APC) but one of the factions has said the verdict did not change anything.
One faction (led by tony Okocha) is controlled by the FCT Minister Nyesom Wike while the other (led by Chibuike Rotimi Amaechi) is loyal to former Minister Chibuike Rotimi Amaechi.
The faction led by Emeka Beke (loyal to Amaechi) has reacted to the judgment of the court of appeal on Friday, May 2, 2025, (No. CA/PH/371/2024 between H. E. Abdullahi Ganduje & 2 Ors vs. Peter Ohochukwu & Ors.) saying the jubilation and interpretation by the Okocha faction were premature and false.
In a statement issued by both Emeka Beke (chairman) and Darlington Nwauju (publicity secretary) on Saturday, May 3, 2025, the camp said while they acknowledged the said judgment, they said nothing had changed.
“The matter was an interlocutory appeal challenging the interim orders of injunction made against Appellants therein by the High Court of Rivers State. The judgment did not disturb the validity of the tenure of office of the duly elected Executive Committee of the Party as led by Beke which has been duly recognized and affirmed by the High Court of Rivers State.”
The statement asked the people to recall that on August 12, 2024, the High Court of Rivers State presided over by S. H. Aprioku in Suit No. PHC/3592/CS/2023 affirmed and validated the tenure of office of the Emeka Beke-led executive committee as the proper leadership of the APC in Rivers State until October 21, 2025.
“This judgment is still subsisting, having not been set aside or overruled by any superior Court. It is therefore a ridiculous misadventure for any other person or group outside the Emeka Beke led Exco to claim to be Leader of the Rivers State Chapter of the APC.”
The statement said in another case in court, those who bought forms but were not given the forms had were still in court and the outcome was not affected by what the court of appeal just ruled.
Instead, the statement said on November 21, 2024, the Court granted an ex-parte order for the maintenance of status quo existing as at that date pending the determination of the ‘Motion on Notice’.
“Despite the fact that the order and the Court processes were served on APC, it proceeded to conduct the said congresses on the 23rd November 2024 and 30th November 2024 respectively in utter disobedience to the order of the Court.
“After the said congresses were purportedly conducted, the Claimants filed 2 Motions for mandatory injunction to set aside the said congresses conducted in disobedience of Court Order.”
The statement said the Court heard the motions twice and on December 20, 2024 nullified the entire Congresses purportedly conducted by the Party in Rivers State with cost of N10m for various acts of disobedience to court judgments and for going ahead to conduct the congresses against court order. “This decision is also subsisting and has not been set aside.
“In the circumstances therefore, we caution any person who is parading himself as the leadership of the Rivers State APC outside the duly elected Exco led by Beke to stop forthwith. We also charge members of the Rivers State All Progressives Party to remain steadfast and calm as our Party remains committed to the ideals of democracy and good governance.”
We have been vindicated – Tony Okocha faction
The Okocha faction has however continued to jubilate, saying it has been vindicated. In a statement by Chibike Ikenga, the Publicity Secretary of the faction, the camp hailed the judgment of the appeal court which set aside order of the Rivers State High Court judge, G. Ollor in an Ex Parte Order.
Ikenga stated: “The APC filed an appeal challenging the powers and jurisdiction of the Rivers State High Court to make the Interim Orders of Ex Parte injunction restraining the APC from holding its Congress and to dabble into the leadership, internal and domestic affairs of the APC.
“The Court of Appeal in allowing the appeal held that the Rivers State High Court or any other lacks the jurisdiction to interfere in the domestic affairs of APC and that the issue of leadership of APC is a domestic affair which is a no-go area for the Rivers State High Court. The Court of Appeal in furtherance of its judgment, struck out the substantive suit at the State High Court.
“With the judgment delivered by the Court of Appeal in the representative action brought by Peter Ohochukwu & Anor on behalf of Emeka Beke, it is now obvious to all doubting Thomases that the Okocha-led State Executive Committee remains the undisputed State Executive Committee of the Rivers State Chapter of the APC. Those who are familiar with the principle of judicial precedence know that the Court of Appeal is bound by its previous decision, and that it is only a matter of time before the judgment delivered by Aprioku which dabbled into the internal affairs of the APC by declaring Beke as chairman is set aside.”
We called on every member of the APC to remain steadfast, committed, and resolute in support of the party under the Abdulahi Ganduje-led National Executive Committee of the APC and the President Bola Ahmed Tinubu Renewed Hope Agenda.
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