Rivers APC Criticizes National Leadership for Ignoring Court-Backed Chairman

All Progressives Congress (APC) in Rivers State has strongly condemned the National Working Committee (NWC) for disregarding a court ruling that reaffirmed Chief Emeka Beke as the legitimate state chairman. The NWC’s decision to continue recognizing the factional leadership led by Chief Tony Okocha has sparked outrage within the party’s ranks in Rivers State.

In a statement released in Port Harcourt on Friday, APC Rivers State Publicity Secretary, Darlington Nwauju, urged the NWC to respect the court order that upheld Beke’s leadership. He expressed concerns over the potential for deepening divisions within the party, calling the NWC’s stance a “national embarrassment.”

This controversy follows a recent ruling by Justice Sika Aprioku of the Rivers State High Court, which dismissed the Okocha-led Caretaker Committee, asserting that the National Working Committee lacked the authority to dissolve an elected executive still within its tenure. The court further restrained the Okocha-led faction from interfering with Beke’s leadership until the completion of his four-year term.

Reacting to the court’s decision, Okocha announced plans to challenge the ruling in the Appeal Court, vowing to reclaim what he termed the party’s mandate. Despite this, the APC NWC, in a statement from Abuja, reiterated its support for the Okocha-led faction, intensifying the intra-party conflict.

Nwauju criticized the NWC’s actions, emphasizing that the court’s ruling must be upheld. “The tenure of the elected executives of the party in the state has been preserved by the order of court. Therefore, contemplating fresh congresses for the party in Rivers State will not only be an act of illegality but shall amount to sheer waste of resources,” Nwauju said.

He further condemned what he described as “ill-timed political innuendos,” urging the NWC to focus on unity and to stop creating unnecessary distractions for President Tinubu’s administration.

Nwauju also warned against rumors suggesting that there might be attempts to undermine the state executives through fabricated judgments or suspensions. He called for a more neutral and careful interpretation of the August 12, 2024, judgment, which remains the only legal ruling on the leadership of APC in Rivers State.

The ongoing feud within the Rivers State APC highlights the growing tension between state and national leadership, with potential implications for the party’s cohesion as the country moves forward with the Renewed Hope Agenda.