Against Court Judgment, APC NWC backs Tony Okocha as Rivers State Chairman

The National Working Committee (NWC) of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) has insisted that Chief Tony Okocha, the Rivers State Caretaker Committee chairman remains the recognised chairman of the party in the oil rich state.

This is coming after the State High Court, presided by Justice Sika Aprioku, sacked Okocha and reinstated Emma Beke as the APC Chairman in the state.

Briefing journalists after a closed door meeting on Wednesday in Abuja, the APC Deputy National Secretary, Barr. Festus Fuanter who spoke on behalf of the party said that Beke has a pending matter before Court which has not been appealed and as such cannot be seen as the Chairman of the party.

Speaking, he said, “You may recall that of recent there was a judgement that reinstated Emeka Beke led executive at the detriment of the caretaker committee that was set up by the party.

“It will interest all of you that before that judgement there was a judgement that sacked Emeka Beke led executive which gave rise to the caretaker committee and the matter is pending before the Appeal Court. He did not wait to prosecute his own case at the appellate court but went to institute another case where he got the judgement.

“As far as the NWC is concerned this is a total abuse of court process. We are still waiting for his appeal at the appellate level on his sack.

“Consequent on that detail and fact, we deliberated on the matter at the NWC and in view of his appeal on the first matter, we are still recognising the Okocha led caretaker committee”.