The leadership crisis rocking the Rivers State chapter of the All Progressives Congress (APC) has taken a fresh twist, with two rival factions interpreting a recent Court of Appeal ruling to suit their opposing claims to legitimacy.

On Friday, the Port Harcourt Division of the Court of Appeal ruled on an appeal filed by the APC’s National Executive Committee against a High Court injunction restraining the party from conducting its congresses in Rivers State.

The appellate court held that issues concerning the internal affairs and leadership of a political party are not justiciable, thereby nullifying the earlier High Court order and striking out the suit filed by Peter Ohochukwu on behalf of the dissolved state working committee led by Emeka Beke.

In a swift reaction, the faction loyal to Chief Tony Okocha celebrated the judgment as a victory and a validation of its leadership. With the faction’s Publicity Secretary, Chibike Ikenga, claiming in a statement that the decision has reaffirmed Tony Okocha as the party’s chairman in the state.

However, in a counter-statement the Emeka Beke faction dismissed the interpretation of the judgment by the Okocha camp as misleading and false with their own publicity Secretary, Darlington Nwauju clarifying that the Court of Appeal ruling was merely on an interlocutory appeal and did not invalidate the subsisting High Court judgment affirming Beke’s leadership.

He also held that the ruling did not disturb the judgment delivered by Justice Sika Aprioku on August 12, 2024, which validated the tenure of the Beke-led executive until October 21, 2025. (Channels TV)