Court order can’t stop Rivers LG election – APC

• Recakk that the court barred RSIEC from accepting any voter register from INEC or using it for the local government election.
• The court also barred the inspector-general of police and the Department of State Services (DSS) from providing security for the exercise.

The All Progressives Congress (APC) in Rivers State, led by Chief Emeka Beke, has written to the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) in regards to the state’s local government elections.

The party said that the Federal High Court’s judgment cannot halt the local government election scheduled for October 5, 2024.

In the letter dated October 1, Beke said that the court’s ruling was based on a suit filed by Chief Tony Okocha, who Beke described as an unknown member of the party.

Beke claimed that certain members of the party’s National Working Committee attempted to replace the duly elected State Executive Committee with a caretaker committee led by Okocha.

According to Beke, “The elected State Executive Committee approached the High Court of Rivers State. In a considered judgement, the High Court of Rivers State presided over by Hon. Justice S.H. Aprioku affirmed the validity and subsistence of our Executive Committee until 2025.”

He added that the court also set aside Okocha’s caretaker committee, declaring Beke’s leadership as authentic.

Beke emphasized that Okocha lacks authority to file or maintain the suit on behalf of the party.

Furthermore, Beke cited a September 4 judgment by the Rivers State High Court, which compelled the Rivers State Independent Electoral Commission to proceed with the election.

Beke stated, “That judgement, being first in time to the latter judgement, takes precedence. As we all know, when two equities are equal, the first in time prevails.”

He also noted that the Supreme Court of Nigeria ordered the Government of Rivers State to conduct local government elections within three months.

Beke concluded that the Federal High Court cannot overrule the Supreme Court’s decision, and thus, the Rivers State Chapter of the APC supports the October 5 election.

The party has submitted its candidates’ names and distances itself from Okocha’s suit.