The Chairman of the now-dismissed Caretaker Committee of the All Progressives Congress in Rivers State, Tony Okocha, has criticized the recent court judgment that dismissed the seven-man Caretaker Committee of the party.
A Rivers State High Court in Port Harcourt on Monday dismissed the seven-member Caretaker Committee of the APC in the state, led by Okocha, which was appointed by the National Working Committee of the party.
Justice Sika Aprioku, in a 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, 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.
Speaking to newsmen in reaction to the ruling in Port Harcourt on Monday, Okocha expressed dissatisfaction with Justice Aprioku’s handling of the case, despite petitions alleging the judge’s bias and his refusal to recuse himself from the case.
He said Justice Aprioku acknowledged that a petition had been written against him in open court, adding that the council to the Caretaker Committee showed the judge an acknowledged copy of the petition against him.
Okocha said, “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.
“In other words, he could have said, I wash my hands off just like Pontius Pilate washed his hands off on the matter that concerned Jesus Christ.
“Because we had alleged that he was biased and he didn’t even hide it, and superintend as though he didn’t see our petition.
“In court, the Secretary of the party, Chief Eric Nwibani, was spotted by the judge and asked to stand up and he stood up.
“And the judge in an open court told him you people went and wrote a petition against me. You people should know that I am human o.
“He told the party secretary in court, in an open court, that we wrote a petition against him.
“In other words, he had acknowledged that there was a petition against him, that he shouldn’t try the matter, it was already sided.
“And in the course of the proceedings, the Senior Advocate of Nigeria who represented the party, also showed to him an acknowledged copy of the petition that was written against him.
“And he continued. He said he wasn’t going to respect it.
“Don’t forget, In my press briefing in Abuja, I said that Justice Sika Aprioku was contracted for a hatchet job against the PDP. Have you people forgotten that I said so?
“So, are we not justified in what we said initially? What I don’t do in life is that I don’t know how to blackmail. When I say a thing about a particular person, I have reasons to say it, and I have the facts and figures to buttress whatever I say.”
He claimed some persons had met with the judge behind closed doors, and agreed with him to “deliver a judgment that will embarrass the party at the national level.”
Okocha asserted that the APC National had provided legal representation to demonstrate that the party’s constitution permits the National Executive Committee to delegate authority to the National Working Committee, which executed the dissolution of the Emeka Beke-led executives for alleged anti-party activities.
He said, “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.
“That there is a section that says NEC can ceed her powers to the National Working Committee, because NEC does not sit regularly. It is the National Working Committee that is involved in the day-to-day running of the party.
“And so because NEC does not sit regularly, that NEC used her powers to the National Working Committee to ensure that the party is smooth sailing in all the states.
“It was the National Working Committee who, looking at the petitions, of the judgement of the court that proved that Emeka Beke, Sam Etedegwe and others that went to court to challenge them were actually involved in anti-party activities.”
“So the party in their wisdom decided to dissolve an exco that has been proven to have been anti-party in their activities. That’s how we emerged.”
He referred to previous Supreme Court rulings which ruled that the court should not interfere with the internal affairs of political parties.
Okocha, however, vowed to appeal the case saying, “This is a court of first instance. This matter may travel to the Supreme Court. So I want to say to you members of the fourth estate of the realm, be calm, don’t be in a hurry, don’t be too judgmental.
“Be rest assured that we are up and about and we’re equal to the task.”
The sacked CTC Chairman alleged that there were attempts to bribe him, which he refused and referred to the law.
Speaking further, he dismissed the case filed by Beke and others as academic, noting that the appointment in question had expired and a new appointment had already been made.
“What is more to say to you gentlemen of the press, is the fact that the matter in court in which the judge had gone ahead to do what he did, to justify the money that he was given had become academic.
“Those who went to court, went to court to contest my appointment. We have passed that. Have I not given you another letter of my reappointment?
“So, they should go back and argue that one. That other one is already academic, it’s already stale. Is it not correct? I have a new appointment letter.
“So we will challenge whatever they have done at the Court of Appeal. This is a court of first instance. Thereafter, they or us will go back to the Supreme Court and the Supreme Court will decide.” He added.
Okocha accused the state government of manipulating the outcome of the judgement.
He further urged APC members in Rivers State to remain calm and resolute.