The All Progressives Congress (APC) has stated that it is not bound by the Rivers High Court judgment that reinstated its dissolved Chief Emeke Beke-led State Executive Committee, as it was not a party to the suit.
Speaking to journalists yesterday (Thursday, August 15) in Abuja, the FCT, following the National Working Committee (NWC) closed-door meeting, Mr Festus Fuanter, the party’s Deputy National Secretary, explained that Beke, who was reinstated by the court, had EARLIER been removed by another court and had filed an appeal but chose not to await its outcome, deciding, instead, to engage in what the party described as “an abuse of court processes.”
Daily Query reports that the Rivers High Court had on Monday, August 12, dismissed the APC Tony Okocha-led Caretaker Committee and reinstated the dissolved Beke-led executive.
But, Fuanter said: “We wish to categorically state and inform the public that the APC is not bound by the judgment delivered by the Rivers High Court in Suit No: PHC 3592 CS. 2023, which reinstated the dissolved State Executive Committee.
“The claimant in the said case sued the national chairman and national secretary, but not the party itself. You cannot sue an agent of a disclosed principal.
“Furthermore, there is a valid and subsisting court judgment against Chief Emeka Beke and Iheanyichukwu Azubuike, former Rivers APC Chairman and Legal Adviser, respectively, wherein they were removed from office.”
The APC Deputy National Secretary added that a court judgment, ruling, or order cannot be binding on a person or organisation that was not a party to the suit, emphasizing that, in the light of this, the party only recognised its Tony Okocha-led Rivers Caretaker Committee, established to oversee its affairs in Rivers State.
Meanwhile, the APC National Working Committee (NWC) has scheduled its National Executive Committee (NEC) meeting for September 12, subject to the approval of President Bola Tinubu, the party’s national leader, Fuanter disclosed.
