The leadership battle within the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Rivers State has taken a dramatic turn following a recent court judgment. The National Working Committee (NWC) of the APC insists that the Tony Okocha-led Caretaker Committee remains the legitimate leadership of the party in the state, despite a court ruling reinstating Emeka Beke as chairman.
On Monday, a Rivers State High Court, presided over by Justice Sika Aprioku, ruled in favor of reinstating Emeka Beke as the Chairman of the APC in Rivers State. The court decision came in response to a suit filed by Sam Sam Etetegwung, Banarth Ezemoye, Ezekiel Ubom, and others on behalf of the democratically elected APC executive in the state.
This ruling effectively dismissed the seven-member Caretaker Committee led by Tony Okocha, which had been appointed by the APC’s National Working Committee. The court issued a perpetual injunction against the Okocha-led committee, barring them from interfering with the activities of the Beke-led executive until the end of their four-year term.
In response to the court ruling, Festus Fuanter, the Deputy National Secretary of the APC, addressed journalists in Abuja on behalf of the NWC. Fuanter argued that the court’s decision was not binding on the party because the APC was not a party in the suit. He explained that the lawsuit targeted the National Chairman and Secretary of the party, not the APC itself.
“We want to categorically state and inform the public that the position of the party, All Progressives Congress, in the judgment delivered by the Rivers High Court per Justice S. Aprioko in Suit No: PHC 3592 CS. 2023, wherein the Court reinstated the dissolved State Executive Committee, is not binding on the Party (APC),” Fuanter said.
Fuanter clarified that Emeka Beke had already been removed by another court, and the recent judgment had been appealed by Beke. He emphasized that the NWC still recognizes the Okocha-led Caretaker Committee as the legitimate leadership in Rivers State.
Tony Okocha, the chairman of the dismissed Caretaker Committee, expressed his dissatisfaction with the court’s ruling. He criticized Justice Aprioku for allegedly ignoring a petition that questioned his impartiality in the case. Okocha accused the judge of bias and claimed that the judgment was part of a scheme to undermine the APC at the national level.
“It’s not a surprise for us that the judge took that voyage, the voyage to perdition. In law and what we know about the judiciary, when a case of bias is raised against a trial judge before the matter commences, what the trial judge does is to recuse himself from the matter,” Okocha stated.
Okocha argued that the court proceedings were tainted by bias and that the judgment should not stand. He vowed to challenge the decision in higher courts, including the Court of Appeal and potentially the Supreme Court.
The leadership crisis within the APC in Rivers State highlights the broader challenges faced by the party in maintaining unity and cohesion. The dispute underscores the tensions between the party’s national leadership and its state chapters, particularly in regions where internal factions vie for control.
The APC’s reliance on the NWC to manage its affairs in the state, despite a court ruling to the contrary, raises questions about the party’s adherence to the rule of law and respect for judicial decisions. The legal battle over the party’s leadership in Rivers State is likely to continue, with both sides preparing to appeal the court’s decision.
Despite the ongoing legal battles and internal disputes, Okocha called on APC members in Rivers State to remain calm and united. He urged party members to focus on the larger goal of strengthening the APC and preparing for future elections.
“The case was that some persons alleged that they were illegally removed from offices and that the National Working Committee has no powers to do so. And the party sent a legal representation to say look, there’s a section of the law, the constitution that says NEC, because they also agree that it’s only NEC (National Executive Committee) of a party that can do so,” Okocha explained.
