APC appeals court order halting congresses in Rivers

The National Leadership of the All Progressives Congress, APC, has appealed the restraining order preventing them from conducting any congresses in Rivers State, following a judgment that dissolved the seven-man caretaker committee led by Tony Okocha and reinstated Emeka Beke and his elected executives.

Justice Godwin O. Ollor, in a suit filed by Peter Ohochukwu and Hajja Ndidi-Chukwuma on behalf of themselves and all elected executive members of the APC in Rivers State, granted an ex parte order restraining the APC National Leadership, led by Chairman Abdullahi Umar-Ganduje, from proceeding with the planned ward, local government, and state congresses scheduled for October 11th, 16th, and 26th, 2024.

The court also further restrained the APC National Chairman, Secretary, and the party from interfering with the activities of the state APC’s elected executives, led by Beke, pending the hearing and determination of the motion on notice for an interlocutory injunction.

When the case resumed for the hearing of the interlocutory injunction on Monday, counsel for the APC National Leadership, the Chairman, and the Secretary, Joshua Musa, a Senior Advocate of Nigeria, SAN, informed the court that his clients had appealed the order obtained by the claimants on behalf of the state’s elected APC executive members.

On his part, the claimants’ counsel, Collins Dike, informed the court about a process that had been served on him and requested additional time to respond.

After hearing from both parties, Justice Ollor adjourned the case until September 26th, 2024, for a possible hearing.