Area Talk Report

APC situation in Rivers State is a delicate one and might be argued both ways. But first, I want to put you in a better perspective of explanation so that you can understand how it started.

Sometime ago, APC wanted to conduct its State and Local Government Executives Congress in Rivers. Not because there was no existing leadership in place, but because a faction within the APC felt that the existing leadership was not loyal to the national structure headed by Alhaji Ganduje as the National APC Chairman.

Their mission was simple: conduct a fresh congress in Rivers State and flush out every element they considered disloyal.

But the existing executives were not ready to surrender their rights without a fight.

So they headed to court and asked the court to stop the conduct of the congress. Their argument was straightforward. They told the court that their tenure had not expired and that the manner in which they were being hurried out of office was unfair, contrary to the party constitution, and a clear violation of due process.

They further argued that if the court failed to intervene, they would be illegally pushed out through a congress that had no legal foundation.

That faction is known as the Emeka Beke faction.

There is a backend story that links this faction to Rotimi Amaechi, but that is a story for another day.

On the 21st day of November 2024, the court heard their case and granted their prayers, ordering that no congress should be held until it fully determined whether the tenure of Emeka Beke and his executives had actually elapsed.

Ordinarily, that order of the court ought to have been obeyed diligently.

But because those who wanted to conduct the State Congress were determined to push Emeka Beke out. To them, his loyalty trajectory was tied to Rotimi Amaechi and, since Rotimi was no longer an APC man at heart, every political seed still speaking his name had to be uprooted.

At that point, the battle was no longer about procedure. It had become a battle of political loyalty.

Eventually, despite the subsisting order of the court, they went ahead on the 24th and 30th of November 2024 to conduct the congresses that produced Tony Okocha as State Chairman.

The Emeka Beke executives, seeing what they considered a blatant injustice, rushed back to court.

Their complaint this time was different but simple:

"Court, these people ignored your order. They have gone ahead to conduct a kangaroo congress. Please nullify the exercise because it was conducted in defiance of your authority."

The High Court again agreed with them because you know if there is one thing the court hate the most, it will be to flout its orders.

Consequently, on the 20th of December 2024, the court nullified the congress that produced Tony Okocha and his executives.

Ordinarily, that should have settled the matter.

But it did not.

Since that judgment was delivered, Tony Okocha and his executives have continued to function. For about two years now, the National Executives of APC have continued to recognize and work with them, including during the recent APC primary elections.

Then came another twist.

Two days ago, the Court of Appeal affirmed the decision of the trial court that had earlier nullified the congress in December 2024.

That is the development currently sending shockwaves across the camp of Tony Okocha and everyone who may have had political dealings with him over the years.

The fear is understandable.

Once an appellate court affirms a judgment, the legal implications become more serious and the political consequences become more difficult to ignore.

There is also the very important aspect of the argument as to whether the primaries that Tony Okocha and his executives participated in; are still valid in the eyes of the law.

But that is a conversation for another episode.

-Ekene Aninze Esq.