An ex parte order has been granted by the Rivers State High Court in Port Harcourt, restraining the national leadership of the All Progressives Congress from proceeding with the planned wards, Local Government, and state congresses.
The congresses for wards, LGs, and state were initially scheduled for October 11, 16, and 26, 2024, respectively.
Previously, the Rivers High Court had nullified the removal of the Emeka Beke-led State Executive Committee of the party and had reinstated it.
Despite the court order, the national leadership of the APC continued to recognize only the Tony Okocha Caretaker Committee in the state.
The injunction was issued following a suit filed by Peter Ohochukwu and Hajia Ndidi-Chukwuma, representing themselves and all elected executive members of the party in Rivers State.
The defendants in the case included the National Chairman of the party, Abdullahi Ganduje; the National Secretary, Ajibola Bashiru; the APC, the Inspector General of Police, the Nigerian Police, and the Independent National Electoral Commission.
Justice Godwin Ollor, in his ruling on the ex parte application, prohibited the defendants and their representatives from organizing, overseeing, holding, monitoring, or in any way carrying out an election to constitute the Rivers State executive committee.
The judge emphasized that his decision was made based on the merits of the application and oral argument by the plaintiff’s lawyer, Collins Dike.
Furthermore, he restrained the national leadership of the party from taking any steps to suspend the Beke-led executive in the state.
The court also prevented the national chairman, secretary, and the APC as a whole from interfering with the activities of the elected executive of the APC in the state, under Beke’s leadership, until the hearing and determination of the motion on notice for interlocutory injunction.
The case has been adjourned until September 9, 2024, for the hearing of the motion on notice.