By Ayo Kehinde
A Rivers State High Court, sitting in Port Harcourt, has restrained the All Progressives Congress (APC), from proceeding with its planned Ward, Local Government and State Congresses scheduled for October in the State.
Ruling on an ex-parte motion on Thursday, Justice Godwin O. Ollor, also restrained the party from conducting, supervising, holding, monitoring, or otherwise organising any elections for the Rivers State executive committee.
While restraining the national leadership of the party from attempting to suspend the state executives led by Emeka Beke, the court also barred the party, its national chairman, and secretary, from interfering with the activities of the elected APC executives in Rivers State, led by Beke, pending the hearing and determination of the motion on notice for an interlocutory injunction.
The ruling followed a lawsuit, filed by Peter Ohochukwu and Haija Ndidi-Chukwuma, on behalf of themselves and all elected executive members of the APC in Rivers State.
Meanwhile, Justice Ollor has adjourned the case to September 9, 2024, for the hearing of the motion on notice.
The national leadership of the APC had scheduled October 11, 16, and 26, 2024, for Ward, Local Government and State Congresses in Rivers State following a recent court judgement that sacked the Tony Okocha-led Caretaker Committee.
Speaking after the court ruling, counsel to the claimants, Collins Dike, said, “After the very erudite judgement of My Lord Honorable S. H. Aprioku, the national office wrote a letter in which they disclosed their plans to hold an elective congress specifically for Rivers State.
“Invariably what they intended to achieve with that was to ensure the judgement of Honorable Justice Aprioku was rendered a nullity.
“The judgement of Honorable Justice Aprioku was very clear, that the tenure of office of the elected executives of the party was still subsisting, was still valid, until the four-year term the constitution gave them expired.
“But curiously, these people, in spite of the fact that there’s no vacancy in the various offices that make up the executive committee, went behind and started planning how to hold an elective congress, in spite of the fact that they are fully aware of that judgement, they have been served with that judgement.
“So, it is for that reason that we said no. They have created a new cause of action by their attempt to proceed with plans to hold an elective congress. And if we do not do anything, they will foist a fait accompli on the court with respect to the judgement of Honorable Justice S. H. Aprioku, by purporting to hold that elective congress. “And it is for that reason that we have gone on to say that no, what they want to do is contrary to the law.
“And we are happy that the court was convinced with the facts we presented, convinced with the argument we presented. And the court has in very clear terms, restrained them from proceeding in the interim pending when the court will be hearing all the parties.”
