*Nothing Has Changed, Okocha’s Leadership Insists
THE Court of Appeal (Port Harcourt Division), on Friday, May 29, upheld the judgment of the Rivers State High Court nullifying the All Progressives Congress (APC) Congresses that produced Tony Okocha and other members of the state executive council, who are allies of the Minister of Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Nyesom Wike.
Recall that Justice Obomanu had on December 20, 2024, voided the said Congresses conducted by the Okocha-led APC in the state.
The sacked exco later challenged ruling, urging the appellate court to upturn the judgment.
However, the court of appeal, in its ruling read by Justice Elfreida Oluwayemisi Williams-Dawodu upheld the decision of the lower court, thereby nullifying all decisions and representations made by the Okocha-led leadership on behalf of the party since December 20, 2024.
Opponents of the sacked executive have interpreted the ruling to mean that candidates produced by the party ahead of next year’s general elections face the risk of disqualification.
But in its reaction to the judgment, the Okocha-led executive said there was no threat to its status, pending full trial.
Its Publicity Secretary, Chibike Ikenga, in a statement on Saturday, May 30, insisted that court of appeal only gave interlocutory appeal and sent the matter back to the court of first instance for full trial.
Ikenga stated: “The leadership of the All Progressives Congress, Rivers State is aware of the judgment of the Court of Appeal, Port Harcourt, dated Friday, 29th May, 2026, in an Interlocutory Appeal and Matter sent back to the court of first instance for full trial in (APPEAL NO: CA/PH/523/2024: APC & ANOR. V OKWU JOEBROWN NDIKE, filed by the All Progressives Congress (APC), challenging the jurisdiction of the high court directing the parties to ‘maintain status quo’ and also challenging the competence of the suit before the Rivers State High Court.
“There is no threat to the status of the EXCO, pending full trial. Our lawyers will study the full judgment and advise on the next step.
“We advise party faithful to remain calm and not panic by the deliberate misrepresentation of the facts and circumstances of the judgment by those who lack in-depth knowledge of what transpired in the court.”
