Rivers APC Kicks Against Court Ruling, Says it Lacks Power to Remove Caretaker Committee
The ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) has rejected a court ruling that nullified the sacking of the Emeka Beke-led executive of the party in Rivers State, stating that the Rivers State court lacks the power to take such action.
The Rivers State High Court, presided over by Justice Sika Aprioku, on Monday ruled that the National Working Committee of the APC erred in dissolving the elected executives led by Emeka Beke. The judge stated that the APC National Working Committee does not have the power to dissolve an elected executive of a state nor can set up a caretaker committee when the tenure of the elected executive is still running. The court therefore barred Tony Okocha, the leader of the caretaker committee, and its members from further parading as executives of the APC in Rivers State.
However, the caretaker committee is refusing to accept the ruling, citing an earlier judgment by the Supreme Court. In an exclusive interview with The PUNCH, Chibuike Ikenga, the Spokesman of the Rivers APC Caretaker Committee, warned that the judgment cannot override the earlier one granted by the Supreme Court.
Ikenga argued that the judgment was “an effort in futility” because the Supreme Court has already made pronouncements on issues related to the internal affairs of the party. He also accused the judge and his colleagues of being “dancing to the tune of the Rivers State government” and indicated that the judgment was a clear indication of the coalition of forces working to take President Bola Tinubu out of power after losing elections in Rivers State.
The caretaker committee has also announced that it will appeal the ruling and continue to function as normal, citing the party’s internal procedures. Ikenga emphasized that the court cannot force people who have been removed for anti-party activities to lead the party in the state, citing instances where party members left President Bola Tinubu’s campaign to support Atiku Abubakar of the PDP.
