APC NWC backs Okocha, ignores court judgment on Rivers chair

The National Working Committee of the ruling All Progressives Congress on Thursday threw its weight behind the embattled Tony Okocha-led Caretaker Committee of the party in Rivers State.

The endorsement comes three days after a Rivers State High Court sitting in Port Harcourt nullified the sacking of the Emeka Beke-led executive of the APC in Rivers State.

The court presided over by Justice Sika Aprioku, on Monday, ruled that the National Working Committee of the party erred in dissolving the elected executives led by Beke.

The judge stated that the APC NWC does not have the power to dissolve an elected executive of a state nor can set up a caretaker committee when the tenure of the elected executive is still running.

He, therefore, barred Okocha and members of the CTC from further parading as executives of the APC in Rivers.

But addressing journalists after Thursday’s meeting of the NWC, Deputy National Secretary of the APC, Festus Fuanter, emphasised that the judgment of the Rivers Court is not binding on the party.

He said, “We want to categorically state and inform the public that the position of the party in the judgment delivered by the Rivers High Court per. Justice S. Aprioko in Suit No: PHC 3592 CS. 2023 wherein the court reinstated the dissolved State Executive Committee that it is not binding on the APC.

“The claimant in the said case sued the national chairman and secretary of our great party and not the APC itself, and you cannot sue an agent of a disclosed principal. That a court judgment/ruling/order is not binding on a person or organization that is not a party to the suit.

“In suit No: PHC/3592/CS/2023 between Sam Sam Etetegwung Vs Abdullahi Ganduje & 7 Others wherein the Court reinstated the Rivers State Executive Committee earlier dissolved by APC, is not binding on APC because it was not joined as a party in the suit.

“Secondly, there is a valid and subsisting court judgment against Chief Emeka Beke & Iheanyichukwu Azubuike (former Rivers State APC chairman and legal adviser) respectively wherein they were removed from office. The said case suit No. PHC/925/CS/2023 Omiete Efrebo & 9 Ors. Vs. Chief Emeka Beke & 2 Ors., were removed from office.

“It is pertinent to state here that the said judgment has been appealed against by Chief Emeka Beke and it is pending before the Court of Appeal. Given the above, the party still recognizes the erstwhile Caretaker Committee set up to oversee the affairs of the party in the state.”