Emeka Beke.

*Awards N300,000 cost against Okocha CTC committee 

*Restrains Okocha’s committee from parading as officials of the party until the expiration of Beke-led elected Exco

Okafor Ofiebor/ Port Harcourt 

Emeka Beke, the All Progressives Congress (APC) Chairman in Rivers State has promised to reconcile with all aggrieved members and even align with the national headquarters.

He said this today on the Arise TV show. He vowed to also work with Governor Siminalayi Fubara to move Rivers Sgatte forward.

Yesterday, a State High Court in Port Harcourt sacked the Pro-Wike-led Tony Okocha and other members of the caretaker committee of the APC, appointed by the party’s National Working Committee, from presenting themselves as the committee’s chairman and members in Rivers State.

Tony Okocha Caretaker Chairman of APC is a loyalist of Nyesom Wike Minister of Federal Capital Territory Abuja. Wike was instrumental in his appointment as the Rivers State representative on the Board of the Niger Delta Development Commission, NDDC.

Emeka Beke is a loyalist of Chibuike Rotimi Amaechi,the former Governor and former Minister of Transportation.

The Court’s judgement, presided over by Justice Aprioku Sika, also restrained them from taking any action or interfering in the affairs of the APC State Executive led by Emeka Beke until the expiration of their four-year tenure.

Justice Aprioku, in his judgement, held that the appointment of Tony Okocha and six others as State APC Chairman and Caretaker Committee members is in disobedience of the party constitution. He said there was no situation in the party to warrant their dissolution. The judge also awarded a N300,000 cost against the defendants.

It would be recalled that during the last hearing of the suit Presiding Judge, Justice Sika Aprioku after listening to the argument and final written addresses of the counsels that represented the patties, reserved the judgment on a day to be communicated to the parties within forty-eight hours.

In a circular sent out from the court, Justice Sika Aprioku said the judgment will be delivered virtually tomorrow, August, 12th, 2024, at noon and urged counsels to be seated on time, revealing how security will be beefed up in and around the court.

Sam  Sam  Eetegwung representing sacked state executive of APC, Banarth Ezemoye and Ezekiel  Ubom, for Local Government and Ward, respectively are in court to seek interpretation of the constitution of the APC and Nigeria over their suspension and subsequent inauguration of seven-man CTC-led by Tony Okocha.

Justice Sika Aprioku of the Rivers State High Court has nullified the 7- 7-member caretaker committee of the All Progressives Congress APC led by Chief Tony Okocha.

The National Working Committee of the APC led by Dr Abdullahi Ganduje had on November 23, 2023, at the party headquarters in Abuja, inaugurated the Rivers State caretaker committee. This stirred a lingering crisis within the party resulting in two factions. The Okocha faction which is pro–Wike, and the Emeka Beke faction which tilted in the direction of the former Minister of Transportation and former Governor of the state, Rotimi Amaechi.

However, the Rivers High Court on Monday sacked the pro–Wike caretaker committee and reinstated the Amaechi faction.

The court delivered the ruling in respect of a suit which sought the legitimacy of the caretaker committee filed by Sam Sam Etetegwung, Barnath Ezemoye, Ezekiel Ubom and other members of the party.

Excited by the court decision, a party stalwart, Amadi remarked “Daniel has come to judgment”

Another party faithful, Ebere said, “: This is justice”, It has come to stay “

Our Correspondent gathered that Okocha has plans to appeal the judgement at the Court of Appeal to seek reversal. of his nullification.