Says party’s decision to continue with exercise was gross disobedience to order of court
Admin l Wednesday, May 28, 2018
PORT HARCOURT, Rivers, Nigeria – A Rivers State high court, sitting in Port Harcourt, on Wednesday nullified the May 11, local government congress and the rescheduled ward, local and state congresses of the All Progressives Congress, APC, held on May 19, 20 and 21, respectively. Justice Chiwendu Nworgu ruled that the May 11 and the rescheduled congresses held by the APC in Rivers State amounted to gross disobedience of a court order after the Legal Adviser of the party, Chieme Chiewenke Azubike, was duly served with the order of the court.
The court ruled that the status quo of the APC remained as it was before May 11, adding that there was no evidence of an appeal transmitted to the court or through the registrar of the court as claimed by the Counsel to the APC, Teduru Ade. Justice Nworgu maintained that there was proof that the legal adviser to the APC in the state was duly served with the order of the court contrary to the claim of the counsel to the APC.
Justice Nworgu described the action of the APC in going ahead to conduct the May 11 congress and the rescheduled congresses as a gross violation of the order of the court.The judge adjourned the matter to June 26 for the hearing of the substantive suit. In his reaction, the new Chairman of the Rivers State chapter of the APC, Ojukaiye Flag-Amachree, elected at the state rescheduled congress, held on May 21, said he remains the chairman of the party in the state.
“I have not been served any court order nullifying my election as the chairman of the APC. I remain the chairman of the party in Rivers State. I am not aware of court proceedings about the rescheduled congresses so any court issuing any order against those processes is on its own.”
Flag-Amachree declared: “I don’t even care because I am too busy working on how the party will win the 2019 governorship election than to bother with distractions.” Publicity Secretary of the APC, Chris Finebone stated that the party has filled a preliminary objection questioning the jurisdiction of the court to entertain the matter which is still pending in court.
He Added: “The purported court ruling may have to do with the disputed ward and local government congresses of May 5 and 12, respectively. As far as we know, there is no court action against the rescheduled ward, local and state congresses of May 19, 20 and 21.”
The suspended Legal Adviser of the APC, Chiewenke Azubike, admitted that he has been served the ruling of the court, adding the ruling is in accordance with the prayers of the 24 aggrieved members of the party who had approached the court to seek redress haven been disenfranchised during the ward congress held on May 5.
