Rivers APC faction heads for Supreme Court over sacking

*Chioma is interim chairman

THE Igo Aguma-led All Progressives Congress (APC) in Rivers
State has rejected the Court of Appeal’s judgment which set aside
the High Court decision which declared Aguma chairman of the
caretaker committee.

The Appeal Court in Abuja set aside the June 2020 judgment of
Justice George Omereji of the State High Court, Port Harcourt, that
affirmed Aguma as chairman of the caretaker committee.

It also affirmed Isaac Abbot Ogbobula as chairman of the
caretaker committee.

The faction appointed Aguma’s deputy, Ben Chioma, to act
temporarily as committee chairman pending the completion of its
appeal at the Supreme Court.

A statement by Aguma’s media adviser, Livingstone Wechie,
described the judgment as unacceptable. He said the party would
appeal at the Supreme Court.

According to Wechie, the court erred in its decision to rule on
the matter that was already a subject of appeal at the Supreme.

He said: “We have always known this fact and, it is undisputable
that the case, being a pre-election matter, has been challenged at
the Supreme Court.

“Being a pre-election matter therefore, the Appeal Court had no
jurisdiction to hear the APC appeal ab initio. The appeal was filed
in July as an afterthought by the National Caretaker Committee,
after the Adams Oshiomhole-led Committee which accepted the
judgment and communicated same to Aguma on June 23 had been
dissolved in defiance to the National Executive Committee (NEC)
directive.

“The 1999 Constitution as amended makes it clear that
pre-election matters are to be filed within 14 days. The APC appeal
is clearly over a month after the judgment was given and as such
the Appeal Court had no jurisdiction to hear it in the first
instance.

“This is our case. In fact the Supreme Court has been asked in
the earlier appeal by Ogbobula to determine whether this is a
pre-election matter. In line with judicial procedures, there is an
Affidavit of Facts before the Appeal Court in respect of the
appeals pending at the Supreme Court but the Appeal Court in its
wisdom chose to go ahead anyways….”

“This judgment is strange and shall be further tested at the
Supreme Court because as the bonafide leadership of the APC in
Rivers State, we shall not allow our party be denied justice
because the law is trite and in our favour.”

Chioma urged party members to remain calm and wait for the
decision of the apex court. He, however, said APC must be on the
ballot for the local government elections.

He said: “We have been briefed on the Court of Appeal judgment
and I urge party faithful in to remain calm and resolute as we have
already instructed our lawyers to appeal the judgment at the
Supreme Court while we continue with our preparations for the 2021
local government elections. APC must be on the ballot and there is
no going back.”

*Chioma is interim chairman

THE Igo Aguma-led All Progressives Congress (APC) in Rivers
State has rejected the Court of Appeal’s judgment which set aside
the High Court decision which declared Aguma chairman of the
caretaker committee.

The Appeal Court in Abuja set aside the June 2020 judgment of
Justice George Omereji of the State High Court, Port Harcourt, that
affirmed Aguma as chairman of the caretaker committee.

It also affirmed Isaac Abbot Ogbobula as chairman of the
caretaker committee.

The faction appointed Aguma’s deputy, Ben Chioma, to act
temporarily as committee chairman pending the completion of its
appeal at the Supreme Court.

A statement by Aguma’s media adviser, Livingstone Wechie,
described the judgment as unacceptable. He said the party would
appeal at the Supreme Court.

According to Wechie, the court erred in its decision to rule on
the matter that was already a subject of appeal at the Supreme.

He said: “We have always known this fact and, it is undisputable
that the case, being a pre-election matter, has been challenged at
the Supreme Court.

“Being a pre-election matter therefore, the Appeal Court had no
jurisdiction to hear the APC appeal ab initio. The appeal was filed
in July as an afterthought by the National Caretaker Committee,
after the Adams Oshiomhole-led Committee which accepted the
judgment and communicated same to Aguma on June 23 had been
dissolved in defiance to the National Executive Committee (NEC)
directive.

“The 1999 Constitution as amended makes it clear that
pre-election matters are to be filed within 14 days. The APC appeal
is clearly over a month after the judgment was given and as such
the Appeal Court had no jurisdiction to hear it in the first
instance.

“This is our case. In fact the Supreme Court has been asked in
the earlier appeal by Ogbobula to determine whether this is a
pre-election matter. In line with judicial procedures, there is an
Affidavit of Facts before the Appeal Court in respect of the
appeals pending at the Supreme Court but the Appeal Court in its
wisdom chose to go ahead anyways….”

“This judgment is strange and shall be further tested at the
Supreme Court because as the bonafide leadership of the APC in
Rivers State, we shall not allow our party be denied justice
because the law is trite and in our favour.”

Chioma urged party members to remain calm and wait for the
decision of the apex court. He, however, said APC must be on the
ballot for the local government elections.

He said: “We have been briefed on the Court of Appeal judgment
and I urge party faithful in to remain calm and resolute as we have
already instructed our lawyers to appeal the judgment at the
Supreme Court while we continue with our preparations for the 2021
local government elections. APC must be on the ballot and there is
no going back.”