UPDATED: Court Stops APC From Holding Congresses In Rivers

A High Court in Rivers State, located in Port Harcourt, has issued an exparte order preventing the National leadership of the All Progressives Congress (APC), led by Abdullahi Umar-Ganduje and Secretary Surajudeen Ojibola-Basiru, from carrying out the planned Ward, Local Government, and State Congresses originally set for October 11, 16, and 26, 2024.

The court action, initiated by Peter Ohochukwu and Haija Ndidi-Chukwuma on behalf of themselves and all elected executive members of the APC in Rivers State, also listed the APC, the Inspector General of Police (IGP), the Nigeria Police Force, and the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) as defendants.

In a ruling on Thursday, Justice Godwin O. Ollor granted an ex parte motion, issuing an order that prevents the defendants and their associates from conducting or overseeing any elections for the Rivers State executive committee of the APC.

Justice Ollor highlighted that the decision was made after carefully considering the merits of the application and the oral arguments put forward by the plaintiffs’ lawyer, Collins Dike.

The court also prohibited the national leadership of the APC from attempting to suspend the state executives under the leadership of Emeka Beke.

Additionally, the judge restricted the APC’s national chairman, secretary, and the party itself from interfering with the operations of the elected state executives led by Beke, until the court hears and decides on the motion for an interlocutory injunction.

The case has been adjourned to September 9, 2024, for the hearing of the motion on notice.

Speaking to the press after the ruling, the claimants’ counsel, Collins Dike, stated, “After the very erudite judgement of My Lord Honorable S. H. Aprioku, the national office wrote a letter in which they disclosed their plans to hold an elective congress specifically for Rivers State.

“Invariably what they intended to achieve with that was to ensure the judgement of Honorable justice Aprioku was rendered a nullity.

“The judgement of Honorable justice Aprioku was very clear, that the tenure of office of the elected executives of the party was still subsisting, was still valid, until the four years term the constitution gave them expired.

“But curiously, these people, in spite of the fact that there’s no vacancy in the various offices that make up the executive committee, went behind and started planning how to hold an elective congress, in-spite of the fact that they are fully aware of that judgement, they have been served with that judgment.

“So, it is for that reason that we said no. They have created a new cause of action by their attempt to proceed with plans to hold an elective congress. And if we do not do anything, they will foist a fait accompli on the court with respect to the judgement of Honorable Justice S. H. Aprioku by purporting to hold that elective congress.

“And it is for that reason that we have gone on to say that no, what they want to do is contrary to the law.

“And we are happy that the court was convinced with the facts we presented, convinced with the argument we presented. And the court has in very clear terms, restrained them from proceeding in the interim pending when the court will be hearing all the parties.”