Rivers crisis: We won't comply with court judgement

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The All Progressives Congress National Working Committee vowed on Thursday not to comply with the judgement of the Rivers State High Court, which removed Tony Okocha as Chairman of the Rivers State chapter of the party.

Justice Sika Aprioku of the State High Court on Monday nullified the sack of Emeka Beke as APC chairman and reinstated him.

The court equally nullified the dissolution of the elected state working committee led by Beke by the Umar Ganduje-led national leadership, which pronounced Peter Okocha as chairman of a caretaker committee.

The judge further issued an order restraining Okocha and his members from parading themselves as exco members of the APC in the South-South state.

There has been a war of attrition between the Beke-led executive sacked by Ganduje, believed to be loyal to the estranged chieftain of the party and former Minister of Transportation, Rotimi Amaechi, and Tony Okocha, who is perceived as a lackey of the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike.

Speaking on the judgement on Thursday, Deputy National Secretary of APC, Barrister Festus Fuanters, claimed the court judgement was not binding on a person or organisation that is not a party to the suit.

Fuanters offered no hint as to whether the party national secretariat would appeal the judgement.

He said, “We want to categorically state and inform the public that the position of the Party, All Progressives Congress, in the judgement delivered by the Rivers High Court per. Justice §. Aprioko in Suit No. PHC 3592 CS. 2023, wherein the Court reinstated the dissolved State Executive Committee, is not binding on the Party (APC).

“The claimant in the said case sued the National Chairman and Secretary of our great party and not the party itself, and you cannot sue an agent of a disclosed principal. A court judgement, ruling, or order is not binding on a person or organisation that is not a party to the suit.

“In suit no. PHC/3592/CS/2023 between Sam Sam Etetegwung vs. H.E. Abdullahi Ganduje & 7 Ors, wherein the Court reinstated the Rivers State Executive Committee earlier dissolved by APC, it is not binding on APC because it was not joined as a party in the suit.

“Secondly, there is a valid and subsisting court judgement against Chief Emeka Beke & Iheanyichukwu Azubuike (former Rivers State APC Chairman and Legal Adviser), respectively, wherein they were removed from office. The said case suit No. PHC/925/CS/2023, Omiete Efrebo & 9 Ors. vs. Chief Emeka Beke & 2 Ors., was removed from office. It is pertinent to state here that the said judgement has been appealed against by Chief Emeka Beke and is pending before the Court of Appeal.

“In view of the above, the Party still recognises the erstwhile Caretaker Committee set up to oversee the affairs of the Party in the State.”

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