The crisis within the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Rivers State has deepened as Emeka Beke, who insists he is the Chairman of the APC in the State, has denounced the congresses planned for today by the Tony Okocha-led faction of the party in the state.
Describing it as a "kangaroo congress," Mr. Bekee, in a statement, urged party members to boycott it. The statement said the controversy stems from an August 12, 2024, judgment by Justice Sika Henry Aprioku, which affirmed the legitimacy of the Emeka Beke-led APC executive committee and recognized its tenure until October 2025. It says this ruling has not been overturned, making any action to truncate the committee’s tenure contentious.
According to the statement, the APC National Chairman Abdullahi Ganduje and Tony Okocha are acting in defiance of the ruling by convening what he called a secret congress to elect new party executives in Rivers State. Mr Bekee said the action prompted an interlocutory injunction issued by Justice G.C. Ollor, halting the congress but the Court of Appeal has stayed enforcement of the injunction.
The statement, however maintained that the planned APC congress in Rivers State cannot hold due to the subsisting tenure of the Emeka Beke Executive Committee until October 2025, as upheld by the judgment of Justice S.H. Aprioku.
Read the full statement here:
PRESS RELEASE
RE: JUDGEMENT IN PHC/3592/CS/2023 BETWEEN SAM SAM ETETEGWUNG V. HIS EXCELLENCY ABDULLAHI GANDUJE & OTHERS
Recall that my Lord, Hon. Justice Sika Henry Aprioku of the High Court of Justice sitting in Port Harcourt, had on the 12th day of August 2024, entered judgment in favor of Sam Sam Etetegwung who had filed Suit No: PHC/3592/CS/2023 for himself and as representing members of the State Executive Committee of the All Progressives Congress, Rivers State, elected on the 16th of October, 2021, against His Excellency, Abdullahi Ganduje and six others.
While that judgment is still subsisting, the same having not been set aside on appeal, His Excellency Abdullahi Ganduje connived with Chief Tony Okocha and others to hold a secret congress to truncate the tenure of Chief Emeka Beke led Executive Committee and electing new executives of the All Progressives in Rivers State despite being fully aware of the Judgment in the above-mentioned suit. This singular act gave rise to the commencement of Suit No: PHC/2699/CS/2024 and the attendant interlocutory order of injunction made by Lord Hon. Justice G.C. Ollor of the High Court of Justice sitting in Port Harcourt against His Excellency Abdullahi Ganduje, Chief Tony Okocha, and others over their planned kangaroo congress which is the injunctive interlocutory order, the learned Justices of the Court of Appeal have now stayed its enforcement today, the 15th day of November, 2024.
While we acknowledge the ruling of the learned Justices of the Court of Appeal in Appeal No: CA/PHC/371/2024 between His Excellency Abdullahi Ganduje & 2 others v. Peter Owhorchukwu & 4 others staying the enforcement of the injunctive order of Hon. Justice Ollor in Suit No: PHC/2699/CS/2024 and make an effort to immediately appeal the said decision. We, however, maintain that the planned kangaroo Congress of the All Progressives Congress can still not hold in Rivers State in view of the subsistence of the tenure of the Chief Emeka Beke Executive Committee till October 2025 and the judgment of my Lord, Hon. Justice S.H. Aprioku which among other things, recognized and legitimized the Chief Emeka Beke led Executive Committee of the All Progressives Congress, Rivers State and the subsistence of their tenure until October 2025, which judgment is still valid and subsisting till date, same having not been set aside till date.
It is not yet ‘uhuru’ for our detractors as there is still a major legal impediment to the holding of their scheduled kangaroo Congress tomorrow. The valid and subsisting judgment of Hon. Justice S.H. Aprioku in the above-captioned suit constitutes that legal impediment.
It is for the foregoing reasons that, we urge our teeming supporters in Rivers State to remain calm, resolute and steadfast while we assure them that we will get justice. We therefore, urge our teeming supporters in Rivers State to not take part in the scheduled kangaroo Congress of 16th November, 2024. All well meaning supporters and members of the All Progressives Congress, Rivers State should disregard the news nay, rumour about the holding of any purported Congress tomorrow, the 16th day of November, 2024.
We will not relent in our pursuit of justice in this and every other matter.
Signed:
Chief Emeka Beke
Chairman, All Progressives Congress, Rivers State
