A Rivers State High Court sitting in Port Harcourt has nullified the congresses of the All Progressives Congress in the state.
The court canceled the congresses which produced Chief Tony Okocha as the state chairman of the APC, following a contempt of court proceeding filed by the camp of the reinstated chairman of the party, Emeka Beke.
The court had earlier issued an order stopping the conduct of the congresses in the state, but the APC went ahead with the exercise.
However, aggrieved members of the party, who secured the order, returned to court asking for nullification of party congress.
Justice Godswill Obomanu, after listening to the presentations and submissions of the counsels, nullified the congresses of the party.
The judge expressed dismay that the party went ahead with the congress after a court had ordered that status quo be maintained on the matter.
The court stayed further proceedings in the matter and adjourned it indefinitely.
But in a swift reaction, the Publicity Secretary of the Okocha led APC, Chibuike Ikenga, said the judgment was expected, saying Justice Obomanu was a kinsman of the state Governor, Siminakayi Fubara.
Ikenga accused Justice Obomanu of doing a hatchet job for the governor.
He stated, “It was expected, putting into consideration that Justice Obomanu hails from the same place as the Governor of Rivers State.
“There are some collaborators of the APC in Rivers State who have aligned with Governor Fubara to see that this party is suffocated. But this is not the final court. This is the court of first instance.
“Unfortunately, the Rivers State High Court under Justice Obomanu is sitting on appeal in a case that is already being addressed by the Court of Appeal.
“So, there is no problem, we are law abiding citizens with obedience to the rule of law. We are already putting our papers together to head to the appeal court to challenge and test it.”
