August 15, (THEWILL) – The All Progressives Congress (APC) says Tony Okocha remains the Caretaker Committee Chairman of the party in Rivers State.
A Rivers State High Court had on Monday, sacked the Okocha-led Caretaker Committee and reinstated the Emeka Beke-led elected executive of the APC in the State.
However, reacting to the development at a press conference at the National Secretariat of the party in Abuja, after its National Working Committee (NWC) meeting on Thursday, the APC Deputy National Secretary, Festus Fuanter, said the Court judgement was not binding on a person or organisation that is not a party to the suit.
He said: “We want to categorically state and inform the public that the position of the Party, All Progressives Congress, 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 Party (APC).
“The claimant in the said case sued the National Chairman and Secretary of our great Party and not the Party itself and you cannot sue an agent of a disclosed principal. That a Court Judgment/Ruling/Order is not binding on a person or organisation that is not a party to the suit.
“In suit no: PHC/3592/CS/2023 between Sam Sam Etetegwung Vs. H.E. Abdullahi Ganduje & 7 Ors 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 others., 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.
“In view of the above, the Party still recognises the erstwhile Caretaker Committee set up to oversee the affairs of the Party in the State.
“As far as the NWC is concerned, what happened was an abuse of court processes. We will seek legal remedy against the judgment which reinstated Beke.”
Speaking on his sack, Chief Okocha said that the former Minister of Transportation, Rotimi Amaechi, was doing all he could to have the structure of the APC in Rivers State so he could use it against President Bola Tinubu in 2027.
Meanwhile, the NWC has announced September 12 for the meeting of the party’s National Executive Committee (NEC).
According to Fuanter, the NWC discussed the issue and agreed that the party’s Caucus will meet on the eve of the NEC, September 11.
“The issue of NEC meeting, we agreed for 11 and 12 for caucus and NEC subject to approval by Mr. President,” he said.
On reports of Ambassadorial appointment for the party’s National Chairman, Fuanter said the NWC was not privy to such information.
