1 month ago
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The All Progressives Congress (APC) has kicked against the dismissal of the party’s seven-member Caretaker Committee in Rivers State, which was led by Tony Okocha.
Naija News reported that the committee was previously appointed by the party’s National Working Committee (NWC).
However, delivering the ruling on Monday, Justice Sika Aprioku, of a Rivers State High Court sitting in Port Harcourt reinstated the executive committee led by Emeka Beke as the legitimate leadership of the APC in Rivers State.
The judge stated that the APC National Working Committee does not have the power to dissolve an elected executive of a state, nor can it set up a caretaker committee when the tenure of the elected executive is still running.
He, therefore, barred Tony Okocha and members of the CTC from further parading as executives of the APC in Rivers State.
In an interview with Punch, the Spokesman of Rivers APC Caretaker Committee, Chibuike Ikenga, opined that the Rivers State court lacks the power to take such action.
Ikenga warned that the judgment cannot override an earlier one granted by the Supreme Court, adding that the party will appeal the judgment.
He said, “It (sack) is an effort in futility. The reason is that the Supreme Court has made pronouncements and taken decisions as to issues that pertain to the internal affairs of a political party, which are justifiable before any court.
“Therefore, what we have seen was also a choreographed judgment, in the sense that the judge and a couple of his colleagues are dancing to the tune of the Rivers State government. The judgment itself is a clear indication of those coalitions you have seen from haters of President Bola Tinubu and the move to take him out of power after losing the election serially in Rivers State.
“We have spoken to our lawyers and they will appeal accordingly. By the way, our party has given us the power to continue to act because it is strictly the internal affairs of the party. We are not under any form of pressure. As you can see, we are still going about our busy because we know the position of the law.
“The court cannot force people removed for anti-party activities to lead us in the state. These people left the campaign for President Bola Tinubu and supported Atiku Abubakar of the PDP. It was based on that they were dissolved.”
Rachel Okporu is an entertainment and lifestyle journalist with years of experience in the industry. She is a graduate of Linguistics and Communication Studies. Likes surfing the Internet and making new friends.
