Rivers of drama as reinstated APC faction sack govnorship candidate wey Wike dey suppport - wetin go happun next?

Di reinstated leadership of di All Progressives Congress (APC) for Rivers State don declare as invalid all nominations and decisions wey arise from di party recently concluded primaries for di state.

Di primaries bin produce Kingsley Chinda, wey be political ally of di Minister of di Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike, as di party govnorship candidate afta Govnor Siminalayi Fubara step aside from di race.

Several oda candidates wey align wit di minister also emerge as APC flagbearers for di National Assembly and State Assembly elections.

Dis dey come afta one Court of Appeal judgment by Justice Elfreida Oluwayemisi Williams-Dawodu for Port Harcourt on Friday, bin uphold one earlier High Court ruling by Justice Godswill Obamanu wey nullify di congresses wey produce Tony Okocha as APC chairman for Rivers State.

Inside one statement on Monday, Darlington Nwauju, wey be tok-tok pesin for di faction led by Chief Emeka Beke, say di Appeal Court decision effectively invalidate all actions wey di Okocha-led leadership take on behalf of di Rivers APC between December 20, 2024, and May 29, 2026.

"You go remember say Justice Obomanu bin courageously act in defence of di dignity of court and di sanctity of di rule of law by stamping disciplinary authority of di court in annulling all Congresses purportedly conducted for Rivers State by Alhaji Ganduje in flagrant disobedience of valid order of court," di statement tok.

According to Nwauju, all nominations, communications, decisions, and official documents issued during di period no get legal standing, as na individuals wey dia authority to act on behalf of di party don dey nullified by di courts na dem take am.

Di faction also call on di Rivers State Independent Electoral Commission (RSIEC) to withdraw certificates of return wey dem issue to candidates produced by di Okocha-led group during di 2025 local govment elections and recognise candidates nominated by di Beke-led executives.

Nwauju argue say di Appeal court ruling reinforce earlier High Court judgment wey nullify di congresses conducted for November 2024. E maintain say di congresses don effectively dey set aside and fit only dey revived through a fresh court order.

E say make di APC national leadership review all primaries conducted under di disputed leadership structure to avoid legal complications similar to dose wey bin previously affect di party for Zamfara State.

Di Beke faction say individuals wey emerge from di invalidated congresses lack di legal authority to represent di party and say all records, declarations, and decisions wey dey linked to dia activities gatz dey removed form di APC records.

Di latest development don add anoda chapter to di prolonged leadership tussle within di Rivers APC, as both factions continue to lay claim to di control of di party structure for di state.

Wetin dis Court of Appeal judgement mean?

According to Henry Ekine wey be lawyer, di judgment of di Court of Appeal mean say Emeka Beke-led APC na im be di authentic leadership of di APC for Rivers State and so evritin wey di Tony Okocha-led executives do dey null and void and of no effect.

"For law, you no go fit put anytin on notin - so if di Court of Appeal uphold di judgment wey nullify di congress wey produce Tony Okocha, e mean say evritin wey e do for dat office also dey null and void.

"So if Tony Okocha hold congress wey produce candidates wey contest election or carry any oda action as di chairman, e dey null and void."

Ekine say di Okocha-led group get right to go on appeal and, "as dem don say dem go go on appeal to di Supreme Court, e good becos e go expand our jurisprudence, so make we look how dat wan go turn out," e tok.

Ekine add say similar tin bin don happun for di APC for Zamfara State wia di court nullify congress wey produce party leaders and dat one also nullify di actions wey dat leadership take and dat fit be di case for dis instance too.

Wetin go happun next?

Darlington Nwauju, wey be di tok-tok pesin for di faction, say only higher court fit set aside Justice Obomanu order wey di Court of Appeal ruling don sustain.

"As e stand today, only higher court fit set aside Justice Obomanu order wey di Court of Appeal ruling delivered by Justice Elfreda Williams-Dawodu don rightfully sustain.

"For posterity sake, na only two possible scenarios fit play out – (i) di Courts order fresh congresses for Rivers State to mitigate injuries suffered by di plaintiffs to Suit No. PHC/3859/CS/2024; (ii) court see no injuries in wetin di APC don do and reject prayers of plaintiffs.

"Weda di courts choose option A or B above, one tin dey constant and dat na di fact say di congresses of Nov 23 2024 and November 30 2024 don dey buried," e tok.