By Chesa Chesa
The National Working Committee (NWC) of the All Progressives Congress (APC) says it continues to recognise Tony Okocha as chairman of the Caretaker Committee of the party in Rivers State, despite a State High Court judgement on Monday sacking him and reinstating Emeka Beke as Chairman.
The NWC took the position at a meeting in Abuja chaired by National Chairman of APC, Umar Ganduje.
Addressing journalists afterwards, Deputy National Secretary of the party,. Festus Fuanter, declared that Beke had already been sacked by another court and as the case is still being appealed, it amounted to abuse of the court process for him to still approach the Hight Court for a new judgement in the same case.
Fuanter said “the judgment delivered by the Rivers High Court per. Justice §. Aprioko in Suit No: PHC 3592 CS. 2023 wherein the Court reinstated the dissolved State Executive Committee that it is not binding on the Party (APC).
“The claimant in the said case sued the National Chairman and Secretary of our great Party and not the Party itself and you cannot sue an agent of a disclosed principal. That a Court Judgment/Ruling/Order is not binding on a person or organization that is not a party to the suit.
“In suit no: PHC/3592/CS/2023 between Sam Sam Etetegwung Vs. H.E. Abdullahi Ganduje & 7 Ors wherein the Court reinstated the Rivers State Executive Committee earlier dissolved by APC, is not binding on APC because it was not joined as a party in the suit.
“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. It in pertinent to state here that the said judgment has been appealed against by Chief Emeka Beke and it is pending before the Court of Appeal.
“In view of the above, the Party still recognizes the erstwhile Caretaker Committee set up to oversee the affairs of the Party in the State”.
He added that the APC would however seek legal remedy against the judgment which reinstated Beke, as the matter would not be left at that mo matter the opinion of the party.
Faunter also affirmed the NEC has fixed a meeting of the party’s National Caucus for September 11, 2024 while the National Executive Committee (NEC) will meet the following day, September 12.
