Minister of federal capital Territory, Nyesom Wike’s political influence in Rivers might have suffered a big blow this Monday, 12/8/24, as a Rivers State High Court in Port Harcourt dismissed the seven-member Caretaker Committee of the All Progressives Congress, APC, in the state, led by Tony Okocha, which was appointed by the National Working Committee of the APC.
Delivering his ruling in a suit filed by Sam Sam Etetegwung, Banarth Ezemoye, Ezekiel Ubom, and others on behalf of the democratically elected APC executive in the state, Justice Sika Aprioku reinstated the executive led by Emeka Beke as the legitimate leadership of the party in Rivers State.
Justice Aprioku who issued a perpetual injunction against the Okocha-led caretaker committee, prohibiting them from interfering with the Beke-led executive until the end of their four-year term, also restrained the APC’s national leadership from recognizing the Okocha-led committee and directed them to acknowledge the Beke-led executive as the party’s authentic leadership until their term expires.
The judge ruled that the appointment of the seven-member caretaker committee led by Chief Tony Okocha which has been allegedly seen to loyal to Wike’s political interest was null and void, with no legal standing, asserting that the committee members had no legal existence.
The court further criticized the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, for supporting the dissolution of the democratically elected APC executives and warned that leaders of political parties must adhere to their own constitutions and avoid acting recklessly.
According to Justice Aprioku, the APC National Working Committee failed to justify their actions, which were deemed in violation of both the party’s and Nigeria’s constitutions and as a result, the court awarded N300,000 in costs in favour of the APC executive led by Beke.
