APC Rejects Rivers Court Judgment, Calls It ‘Abuse of Court Processes’

The National Working Committee (NWC) of the All Progressives Congress (APC) has rejected the judgment of Justice Sika Aprioko of a Rivers State High Court which sacked the Chief Tony Okocha-led Caretaker Committee, describing it as an abuse of court processes.

The party said Emeka Beke who was reinstated by the court had already been sacked by another court.

“The matter may get to the Supreme Court. True to what we were expecting, the judgement was foretold and it didn’t sound strange to me and nobody got perturbed. The order is an abnormality, they deliberately refused to include APC because if they do, the matter can no longer go on at the High Court. There is an abuse of court processes. The APC will never go back to the social club status that it refuses to be. We will never do that” Okocha said at a separate press briefing.

The Deputy National Secretary of the APC, Festus Fuanter, at a press conference in Abuja, said Beke had later filed an appeal, adding that it was sad that he could not wait for the outcome of his own appeal but instead decided to embark on an abuse of court processes.

He said Beke had later filed an appeal, adding that it was sad that he could not wait for the outcome of his own appeal but instead decided to embark on an abuse of court processes.

Fuanter said, “We want to categorically state and inform the public on the position of the Party, All Progressives Congress in the judgment delivered by the Rivers High Court per. Justice Sika Aprioko in Suit No: PHC 3592 CS. 2023 wherein the Court reinstated the dissolved State Executive Committee that it 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. That court judgment, ruling or order is not binding on a person or organization 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, the order is not binding on APC because it was not joined as a party in the suit.

“Secondly, there is a valid and subsisting Court Judgment 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 were removed from office. It in pertinent to state here that the said judgment has been appealed against by Chief Emeka Beke and it 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”.

Friday Olokor

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