A Rivers State High Court sitting in Port Harcourt is set to deliver a landmark judgment tomorrow, Monday, August 22, 2024, in a suit filed by the elected state, local government, and ward executives of the All Progressives Congress (APC) against the party’s National Executive and the Seven-Man Caretaker Committee in Rivers State.
The plaintiffs, led by Chief Emeka Beke, are challenging the legitimacy of the caretaker committee, led by Chief Tony Okocha, which was appointed by the party’s national leadership.
After hearing arguments and final written addresses from counsels representing both parties, Presiding Judge Justice Sika Aprioku reserved judgment, indicating that the decision would be communicated to the parties within 48 hours.
Meanwhile, it was learned that the judgment in the ongoing leadership dispute within the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Rivers State will be delivered virtually at noon.
The court’s circular, however, urged counsels to be seated on time, hinting at beefed-up security measures around the court premises
Also, the lawsuit, filed by sacked state executive members of APC, including Banarth Ezemoje and Ezekiel Ubom, representing local government and ward executives respectively, seeks an interpretation of the APC constitution and the Nigerian constitution regarding their suspension and the subsequent inauguration of a seven-man Caretaker Committee led by Tony Okocha, will be delivered.
The outcome of this judgment is expected to have far-reaching implications for the APC in Rivers State, potentially resolving the lingering leadership crisis that has plagued the party.