A Rivers State High Court in Port Harcourt has postponed its ruling in a suit filed by chairmanship candidates of the All Progressives Congress (APC) under the Emeka Beke-led faction. The candidates, including Fubara Dagogo and eight others, instituted the case against the Rivers State Independent Electoral Commission (RSIEC) over the August 30 local government elections.

The court, presided over by Justice Stephen Jumbo, heard arguments from both parties regarding whether the case was statute-barred. The claimants are seeking a perpetual injunction to prevent RSIEC from recognizing the results of the APC primaries held on August 4, 2025, or any other date. They contend that they were unlawfully substituted by the party, which forwarded an alternative list to RSIEC in a letter dated August 7, 2025.

The APC in Rivers State is currently embroiled in a leadership dispute, with two factions led by Emeka Beke and Tony Okocha, respectively. The claimants are asking the court to declare them the authentic winners of the election, arguing that their substitution was unlawful. Justice Jumbo has reserved his ruling until November 5, after considering the arguments presented by both parties.

The case highlights the ongoing internal conflicts within the APC in Rivers State, which have been a subject of controversy in recent times. The party’s leadership tussle has led to multiple factions, each claiming legitimacy. The court’s ruling is expected to have significant implications for the party’s structure and the outcome of the local government elections.

The Rivers State Independent Electoral Commission (RSIEC) has been dragged into the controversy, with the claimants seeking to prevent it from recognizing the results of the APC primaries. The commission’s role in the elections has been a subject of scrutiny, with the claimants arguing that it should not have accepted the list of candidates forwarded by the party.

The postponement of the ruling until November 5 has created uncertainty about the outcome of the case. The claimants and the respondents will have to wait until then to know the court’s decision, which will likely have far-reaching consequences for the APC in Rivers State and the electoral process in the state.