The Rivers State Chapter of the All Progressives Congress (APC) has described a High Court ruling that nullified primaries it conducted as a culmination of an evil collaboration.
TheNewsGuru (TNG) reports the High Court presided over by Justice Chiwendu Worgu nullified the congresses that produced Transportation Minister, Chibuike Rotimi Amaechi-favoured Ojukaye Flag-Amachree-led executives from Ward, LGA and State levels.
The court ruled that all the congresses that conducted all the electoral positions in disobedient to court order is null and void, and consequently nullified the APC primaries for disobeying initial court order. By implication, the court declared that all primaries conducted by the Ojukaye-led executives are non-existent in law.
“We recall the many overt and covert partnerships between Governor Nyesom Wike and Senator Magnus Abe using the Rivers State Judiciary on this matter to scuttle the electoral fortunes of the APC in 2019.
“Today’s ruling is a culmination of such an evil collaboration. We state that today’s ruling did not come to us, as a party, by surprise.
“However, it brings to an end the collaboration between Senator Magnus Abe and Governor Nyesom Wike to destabilize the APC in Rivers State,” the party stated in a statement signed by Chris Finebone.
Finebone stated that nothing will happen to the Ojukaye-led State Executive Committee of the Party as it is further protected against any action from above by the perpetual injunction granted by Abuja High Court 14 presided over by His Lordship, Hon. Justice A. O. Musa on Tuesday, September 4, 2018.
According to him, Justice Musa granted an order of perpetual injunction restraining the APC and the National Chairman, Comrade Adams Oshiomhole (1st and 2nd Defendants) from ‘tampering with the mandates of the elected officials/delegates elected at the 1st Defendant’s Ward, Local Government and State Congresses in Rivers State on May 19, 20 and 21, 2018 respectively, either by nullifying, removing or in any way refusing to give effect to the outcome of the said congresses or by purporting to conduct another congress in respect of Rivers State.
“We wish to inform APC members and sympathisers of our great party in Rivers State and across Nigeria to remain calm as we are well prepared in anticipation of today’s ruling and have therefore done the needful.
“Despite aspects of the matter which are already before the Court of Appeal and the Nigerian Supreme Court, the lower court went ahead to decide on a matter that is being challenged at higher courts of the land.
“Indeed, our legal team is already finalizing the paperwork to file an appeal on today’s judgment and stay of execution. There is absolutely no cause for alarm.
“It is also important to emphasize that the entire 319 Wards and 23 LGAs EXCOs of the Party are, by implication, protected against the ruling by any court of coordinate jurisdiction with the Abuja High Court that granted the Ojukaye-led State Exco a Perpetual Injunction before today. We urge everyone to go about their duties without let,” the statement read.
“We further note that the grand rally staged today by Senator Magnus Abe was carefully planned and scheduled by both the Senator and Gov. Nyesom Wike to coincide with the Rivers State High Court judgment details of which they were already privy to.
“It was therefore not surprising when Senator Abe gleefully announced the exact ruling of the court on the rally rostrum just about when the judge was still reading his judgment in court.
“Again, it must be mentioned that if the entire collaboration between Senator Abe and Governor Wike on this matter is to nullify actions the party has taken recently relating to its mandate by seeking to invalidate the Ojukaye-led EXCO, such an exercise has failed.
“For example, the primaries so far conducted in Rivers State were done by the national executives or national leadership of the APC and not essentially by the Ojukaye-led EXCO in Rivers State and seeking to invalidate the Ojukaye-led EXCO cannot in anyway invalidate the primaries.
“We are urging our supporters not to lose sleep as appeal have been entered and stay of execution on the matter have been entered,” the statement added.
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