The Caretaker Committee of the All Progressives Congress, APC, in Rivers State has announced its intention to challenge the ruling of a state High Court that nullified its appointment.
The committee, led by Chief Tony Okocha, has vowed to take the matter to the Appeal Court and potentially the Supreme Court to seek justice.
The High Court, presided over by Justice Sika Aprioku, had ruled in favour of a suit filed by Sam Etetegwung, a former secretary of the party, against the National Chairman of the APC.
The court nullified the appointment of the caretaker committee and reinstated the Chief Emeka Beke-led elected executives of the party in the state.
Chief Okocha expressed determination to contest the ruling, stating that the committee would explore all legal avenues to challenge the decision.
But reacting to the judgment Okocha said: “I invited you this afternoon to let understand our position on the judgement of Justice Sika Aprioku in a matter instituted by former secretary of the party, Sam Etetegwung against the National Chairman of the APC, which the caretaker committee of APC in Rivers State was also joined.
“I want to let you know that it was not a surprise to us that the judge took a voyage to partition. In law and what we know about the judiciary, when a case of bias is raised against a trial judge before the matter commences, what the trial judge does is to recuse himself.”
“And he didn’t even hide it to pretend as though he didn’t see our petition. In court, the secretary of the party Chief Eric Nwibani was stood up by the judge and the judge in an open court told him, you people went and wrote a petition against me, you people should know I’m human.”
“In other words, he had acknowledged that there was a petition against him that he shouldn’t try the matter.”
“They should know that we will meet in the Philippines. We are not keeps; so, we will challenge whatever they had done at the Court of Appeal. This is the court of first instance. Thereafter, they or us will go back to the Supreme Court and the Supreme Court will decide.”
