A Rivers State High Court sitting in Port Harcourt, on Monday, sacked the seven-man caretaker committee of the All Progressive Congress in the state led by Tony Okocha, which was inaugurated by the National Working Committee of the party.
Justice Sika Aprioku gave the verdict while ruling on a suit filed by Sam Sam Etetegwung and Banarth Ezemoye and others, on behalf of the elected APC executives at the state and local government levels.
Justice Aprioku issued a perpetual injunction against the Okocha-led caretaker committee and reinstated the Chief Emeka Beke-led executive as the authentic executive of the party in the state.
Beke is a loyalist of ex-governor Rotimi Amaechi.
The court also restrained the national leadership of the APC from further recognizing the Okocha-led executive and compelled them to henceforth begin to recognise the Beke-led elected executive.
The court slammed the Independent National Electoral Commission, for supporting the desolation of democratically elected executives of the APC, cautioning that leadership of political parties must learn to obey their own constitution and stop acting recklessly and in impunity in managing their own party.
Speaking to newsmen outside the courtroom, one of the counsel for the claimants, Chizim Chinda, expressed happiness at the judgment.
Chinda said, “The court agreed with us and gave judgment in our favour. With respect to the local government, recall that the Tony Okocha so-called caretaker committee went as far as appointing persons to serve as local government caretaker committees. So that matter was also before the court. So the Court also agreed with us that they erred in law to have appointed persons against persons who were duly elected.
“That is what the Court says. And we are saying no, But as of today what the court has decided is the law. So we will apply for the judgment and advise our client accordingly.”
But speaking to newsmen in Port Harcourt, Okocha described the judgment as ill-fated, saying the party would appeal.
“My party will appeal the ill-fated judgment. It is so unfortunate that in Rivers State the judiciary has turned itself to some kind of pun in the hands of a governor who is clueless.
“The judiciary has become Governor Fubara’s supermarket in Rivers State. He goes to any of the judges to buy any order, even when there is an order by a court of coordinate jurisdiction,” Okocha said.
