The All Progressives Congress (APC) maintains that it does not have to follow the Rivers State High Court’s ruling that reinstated its dissolved Chief Emeke Beke-led State Executive Committee, as it did not participate in the suit.
Mr. Festus Faunter, the Deputy National Secretary of the Party, made this statement on Thursday, August 15, in Abuja after the National Working Committee (NWC) met behind closed doors.
Recall that The Rivers State High Court removed the Tony Okocha-led caretaker committee and replaced it with the dissolved Beke-led executive.
According to the Deputy National Secretary, Beke had previously been dismissed by another court and had submitted an appeal, but decided not to wait for the outcome. Instead, he abused the court process.
“We wish to categorically state and inform the public that the APC is not bound by the judgment delivered by the Rivers High Court in Suit No: PHC 3592 CS. 2023, which reinstated the dissolved State Executive Committee.
“Secondly, there is a valid and subsisting court judgment against Chief Emeka Beke & Iheanyichukwu Azubuike (former Rivers State APC chairman and legal adviser) respectively wherein they were removed from office. The said case suit No. PHC/925/CS/2023 Omiete Efrebo & 9 Ors. Vs. Chief Emeka Beke & 2 Ors., were removed from office.
“The claimant in the said case sued the national chairman and national secretary, but not the party itself. You cannot sue an agent of a disclosed principal.
“Furthermore, there is a valid and subsisting court judgment against Chief Emeka Beke and Iheanyichukwu Azubuike, former Rivers APC Chairman and Legal Adviser, respectively, wherein they were removed from office,” he explained.
Faunter went on to say that a court judgment or order cannot be enforced on someone or something that was not involved in the case.
He emphasized that the only party that is recognized is the Tony Okocha-led Rivers Caretaker Committee, which was set up to oversee its operations in the state.
The party’s NWC, according to him, has scheduled its National Executive Committee (NEC) meeting for September 12, with the condition that President Bola Tinubu, the party’s National Leader, approves it.
He mentioned that the NWC talked about the matter and reached an agreement that the party’s caucus will have a meeting on September 11 before its NEC meeting.
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