The All Progressives Congress (APC) faction in Rivers State, led by Emeka Beke, has announced that the party will participate in the local government elections scheduled for October 5th.
In a letter to the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Emeke Beke said the judgment of the Federal High Court in line with the suit filed by Tony Okocha halted local government elections in the state. He argued that it was not possible.
In a letter dated October 1, Beke claimed that the Rivers State APC Management Committee, led by Tony Okocha, is unofficial and has no legitimacy to represent the party in the state.
The following was written there: “The elected State Executive Committee applied to the Rivers State High Court. The Rivers State High Court, in a considered judgment, presided over by Chief Justice John Johnson. We have confirmed that it will continue to exist until 2025.
“The court also set aside Chief Tony Okocha’s purported interim committee and ruled that the duly elected state executive committee headed by Chief Emeka Beke is the true leadership of the All Progressives Congress in Rivers State. It was declared that.
“We are aware that the Federal High Court has held in court that: Mr Justice Peter Riff handed down judgment in case number PHC/ABJ/CS/987/2024.
“However, we hereby state that Chief Tony Okocha, who filed the suit in the name of the ‘Chairman and Caretaker Committee’ of the Rivers State Chapter of the All Progressives Congress, is a fraud and is completely unknown to the Rivers State Chapter of the All Progressives Congress. I would like to inform you that he is not the chairman or a leader in any capacity.
“He, Chief Tony Okocha, as the leadership of the Rivers State party organized under Chief Emeka Beke, also has no authority to institute or maintain the said suit on behalf of the party.
“This judgment precedes and supersedes the latter judgment in FHC/ABJ/CS/987/2024. As everyone knows, when two shares are equal, the earlier in time takes precedence .
“I would also like to note that under the constitution of the All Progressives Congress, all matters relating to participation in local government elections are within the purview of the State Executive Committee, which is therefore headed by Chief Emeka Beke. This will determine whether and how the Rivers State chapter of the All Progressives Congress will participate in the upcoming local government elections in Rivers State.
“Furthermore, the Supreme Court of Nigeria had already ordered the Rivers State government to conduct local government elections in Rivers State within three months of the judgment.
“The Federal High Court cannot legally overrule the Supreme Court by blocking the election in question.
“Based on the above premises, we inform you and your committee that the All Progressives Congress Rivers State Chapter fully supports the holding of local government elections in Rivers State on October 5, 2024. write a letter to
“The party is participating in elections and actually submitting names of candidates for various positions.
“We further reiterate that the judgment in case number FHC/ABJ/CS/987/2024 does not represent the interests of the All Progressives Congress Rivers State Chapter and we distance ourselves from the judgment.”
