A Rivers State High Court in Port Harcourt has 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.
Justice Sika Aprioku, in a ruling on Monday, 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, reinstated the executive led by Emeka Beke as the legitimate leadership of the party in Rivers State.
The court 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.
Additionally, the court 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 court also 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.
Justice Aprioku found that the APC National Working Committee failed to justify their actions, which were deemed in violation of both the party’s and Nigeria’s constitutions.
As a result, the court awarded N300,000 in costs in favour of the APC executive led by Beke.
The judge dismissed preliminary objections raised by the defendants regarding the justification and the application for joinder by additional parties.
Justice Aprioku ruled that the appointment of the seven-member caretaker committee led by Chief Tony Okocha was null and void, with no legal standing, asserting that the committee members had no legal existence.