A factional state chairman of the All Progressives Congress in Rivers state, Chief Emeka Beke, has officially written the new National Chairman of the party, Prof. Nentawe Yilwatda, asking for recognition by the new chairman.
Chief Beke and his factional state secretary, Sam Sam Etetegwung
also asked Prof. Nentawe Yilwatda to use his “office and suspend the scheduled local government primaries of the APC, Rivers State led by Chief Tony Okocha Executive Committee and direct the Chief Emeka Beke led Executive Committee to superintend the entire process, the Chief Emeka Beke led Executive Committee being the duly recognized by law.”
Beke, who was at the APC National secretariat, Thursday in Abuja to submit a petition, told newsmen that he remain the authentic Rivers State Chairman of the APC based on the earlier judgment.
According to him, in a well considered judgement, the High Court of Rivers State, Port Harcourt Division presided over by the Hon. Justice S. H. Aprioku set aside the purported dissolution of our client (the Rivers State Executive Committee of the Party) and found that the said State Executive Committee led by Chief Emeka Beke is the valid and subsisting leadership of the All Progressives Congress in Rivers State until October, 2025 when its tenure will statutorily elapse. We annex a copy of the said Judgement as well as Judgement Order for your record and guidance.
He said the above said judgement is still subsisting and binding, having not been set aside by any Court of competent appellate jurisdiction.
“Also, we are aware of the decision of the National leadership of the All Progressives Congress extending the tenure of office of all elected State Executive Committees to December, 2025. we welcome the said decision.
“We wish to respectfully bring to your notice the judgment of the High Court of Rivers State, Port Harcourt Division, delivered by Hon Justice S.H. Aprioku, which affirmed the subsistence of the tenure of the Chief Emeka Beke led Executive Committee of APC, Rivers State and the judgment of Hon. Justice Obomanu of the High Court of Justice, Rivers State in Suit No. PHC/3859/CS/2024-Okwu Joebrown Ndike & Ors. v. All Progressives Congress & Anor. which invalidated the purported election of Chief Tony Okocha led executive committee of APC, Rivers State. Please, find attached the Judgment and Judgment Order in Suit No. PHC/3859/CS/2024-Okwu Joebrown Ndike & Ors. v. All Progressives Congress & Anor.
“We are members of the State Executive Committee of the All Progressives Congress, Rivers State Chapter and write in that capacity.
“May we hereby extend our warmest congratulations to you on your well deserved emergence as the National Chairman of the All Progressives Congress. We believe that your emergence as National Chairman could not have come at a better moment than this.
“We hereby bring to your attention the fact that following the attempt to unlawfully dissolve the Rivers State leadership structure of the All Progressives Congress sometime in 2023, we, through the State Secretary, Sam Sam Etetegwung, filed Suit No. PHC/3592/CS/2023 (Between Sam Sam Etetegwung Vs. His Excellency, Abdullahi Ganduje & Ors.), challenging the validity and propriety of the said dissolution at the High Court of Rivers State, Port Harcourt Division.”
On the need to recognize his leadership ahead of the Local Government APC primary election, Beke said: “We humbly appeal to the National Chairman to use his good office and suspend the scheduled local government primaries of the APC, Rivers State led by Chief Tony Okocha Executive Committee and direct the Chief Emeka Beke led Executive Committee to superintend the entire process, the Chief Emeka Beke led Executive Committee being the duly recognized by law.
“Flowing from the above, therefore, we express our desire to work with the new national leadership of the Party in actualizing the lofty ideals of the Party particularly in Rivers State.