The National Working Committee (NWC) of the All Progressives Congress (APC) has said that the judgement of Rivers state High Court sacking Tony Okocha-led Caretaker Committee was not binding on the party.
TheHintsNews reports that a Rivers state High Court on Monday sacked the caretaker committee and in its place reinstated Emeka Beke as Chairman of the party in the state.
But the Deputy National Secretary of the party, Festus Fuanter, while addressing journalists after the NWC meeting on Thursday in Abuja said the claimant in the said case sued the National Chairman, Dr. Abdulahi Ganduje and Secretary, Senator Ajibola Bashir and not the party itself.
The party added that a court judgment/ruling/order is not binding on a person or organisation that is not a party to the suit.
To this end the ruling party insisted that Okocha-led Caretaker Committee in Rivers state remained the only recognised leadership of the party in the state.
Fuanter further explained that Emeka Beke who was reinstated by a Rivers State High Court had already been sacked by another court.
He stressed that Beke subsequently filed an appeal, stressing that it was sad that he could not wait for the outcome of his own appeal but instead decided to embark on an abuse of court processes.
His words: “We want to categorically state and inform the public that the position of the party, All Progressives Congress in the judgment delivered by the Rivers High Court, Justice. S. 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 organisation 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 is 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 recognises the erstwhile Caretaker Committee set up to oversee the affairs of the Party in the State”.