After a Rivers State High Court sitting in Port Harcourt nullified the congresses of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in the state, the party vowed to appeal the decision, describing it as a ?coordinated plot.?

The court?s decision was made by Justice G. V. Obomanu, who ruled that the APC congresses were null and void.

The party accused the state governor, Siminalayi Fubara, and some APC collaborators of masterminding the ruling to undermine the party and President Bola Tinubu.

According to a statement by the APC Publicity Secretary, Chibike Ikenga, the party had conducted successful state and local government congresses, but some collaborators within the party, allegedly working with Governor Fubara, had gone to court to challenge the process.

The APC claimed that the court had no jurisdiction to entertain the matter and that the interim order of injunction was obtained through deceit.

He said: ?The Rivers State Executive Committee of the All Progressives Congress (APC) would wish to inform the general public of a larger plot and grand plan to thwart the unprecedented successful state and local government congresses held since the inception of the APC in Rivers State by some frustrated collaborators from within the APC and Governor Fubara, to get at President Bola Tinubu, by making it impossible for the party to successfully carry out its activities and programmes through the instrumentality of the Rivers State High Courts and some compromised judges who have become appendages to the executive.?

Ikenga noted that the drama began in July 2024 when the APC announced its congresses in Rivers State for October 2024.

However, he noted that some persons claiming to be members of the State Executive Committee of the APC ran to the Rivers State High Court to obtain an interim order of ex parte injunction restraining the APC from holding the congresses.

Despite the interim order, he explained that the APC appealed to the Court of Appeal, challenging the jurisdiction of the Rivers State High Court to entertain the matter.

The appeal, filed on November 25, 2024, is currently pending before the Court of Appeal.

However, he alleged that Justice Obomanu, despite being aware of the pending appeal, proceeded to deliver a ruling on December 20, 2024, nullifying the APC congresses, describing the action as ?judicial impertinence? and a clear disregard for the hierarchy of courts.

?Recall that sometime in July 2024, after the APC announced its congresses in Rivers State for October 2024, some persons on the payroll of Governor Fubara of Rivers State, who claimed to be members of the State Executive Committee of the APC, ran to the Rivers State High Court (before Hon. Justice G. Ollor) to obtain an interim order of ex parte injunction on August 22, 2024, in suit No PHC/3699/CS/2024: Peter Ohochukwu vs His Excellency, Abdullahi Ganduje & Ors., restraining APC congresses. After they secured the orders, they went to sleep and took no further steps in that case.

?Consequently, the APC rescheduled its congresses to November 2024, in deference to the interim orders of the Rivers State High Court. However, the APC appealed to the Court of Appeal in No: CA/PH/371/2024: His Excellency, Abdullahi Ganduje vs Peter Ohochukwu, challenging the jurisdiction of the Rivers High Court to dabble into the domestic affairs of a political party?the APC?and to make the interim order. That appeal is fixed for February 2025 for definite hearing.

?However, on November 15, 2024, the Court of Appeal set aside the said order of interim injunction restraining the APC from holding its congresses, which paved the way for APC to conduct its ward congresses on November 16, 2024.?

The party also alleged that Justice Obomanu, who delivered the ruling, is a cousin of Governor Fubara.

?Aggrieved by the order of the Court of Appeal staying the execution of the interim order of injunction and the subsequent conduct of APC ward congresses on November 16, 2024, three (3) other agents of Governor Fubara ran again to the Rivers State High Court on November 19, 2024, this time before the cousin of Governor Fubara?Hon. Justice G. V. Obomanu, who was just elevated by Governor Fubara this year?to obtain another fresh order of interim injunction in suit No: PHC/3859/CS/2024: Okwu Joebrown Ndike vs APC & Anor. As usual, the Rivers State High Court granted a fresh order of interim injunction (ex parte) against the same congresses of a political party?the APC,? he said.

Despite the nullification of the congresses, the APC has urged its members to remain calm and have faith in the judiciary.

The party has instructed its lawyers to take steps to appeal the decision and challenge the jurisdiction of the Rivers State High Court.

?We urge all APC members to remain calm and have faith in the judiciary,? said Chibike Ikenga, APC Publicity Secretary.

?We will not be deterred by this temporary setback and will continue to provide constructive opposition and criticism against the Rivers State government.?

The APC has also vowed to continue providing constructive opposition and criticism against the Rivers State government, despite what it described as the ?vexatious? use of the courts against its activities

The nullification of the APC congresses is the latest development in the ongoing crisis within the party in Rivers State. The APC has been embroiled in internal conflicts, with different factions vying for control of the party. (The Guardian)

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