Rivers APC Factions Give Different Meanings To Supreme Court Judgment

The two major factors in the All Progressives Congress, APC in Rivers State have given different interpretations to the Supreme Court judgment which annulled the election of new officers for the party last June.

The apex court had on Monday set aside the ruling of the Court of Appeal, Port Harcourt Division, which vacated a stay order given by a Rivers State High Court that stopped the conduct of the party’s congresses in the state last June.

The Ojukaye Flag Amachree which is backed by the minister of transportation, Mr. Rotimi Chibuke Amaechi was constituted from the congresses.

Reacting to the development on Monday, Senator Magnus Abe, who has fought against the mainstream of the party in the state said:

“This judgment is historic and affirmed the position a High Court in Rivers state that the action of the party in excluding members of the party from the processes of the congresses and depriving them their constitutional right was wrong. And to do so in the face of a clear order of a court of competent jurisdiction was nothing but clear stupidity.

“And so for anybody to parade himself either as a candidate of the party arising from a processes that has clearly being voided by the court is nothing but political rascality. And I think it is time for right thinking members of this party to put this whole thing to an end and put the party in a proper place for the realisation of taking over Rivers state.

Ojukaye Flag Amachree , however disputed the claim saying:

“The appeal filed at the Supreme Court by Ibrahim Umar & 22 ors of which the ruling was given today, 3 issues were canvassed before the Supreme Court one of which was that the Appeal Court did not act correctly by granting a stay of execution on the interlocutory orders of the State High Court.

“The Supreme Court agreed with them. However, the Supreme Court did not make pronouncements on the other issues since the State High Court had already given final judgment on them, an action that has left the present development a mere academic exercise.

“The Supreme Court only granted the appeal in parts and did not make any consequential orders as that can only be subject matter at the Appeal Court when the appeal hearing of the State High Court judgment commences.

“The Supreme Court allowed the appellant appeal which was against the stay of Order of Injunction of 11/05/2018.The Court said the said order should not have been stayed. The Supreme Court made no orders except to set aside the Court of Appeal order.

“That clears the way for hearing of the main appeal at Court of Appeal, Port Harcourt against the judgment of the High Court. Their prayer that Supreme Court should hear the pending appeal at Court of Appeal was rejected .The appeal is to be heard and determined by Court of Appeal, Port Harcourt.”

“It is important for APC faithful to ignore the raging propaganda by detractors that the Supreme Court set aside congresses and primaries of the party in Rivers State. That is a big lie from the pit of hell.

“As things stand, all pending appeals at the Appeal Court are proceeding apace with some ongoing today. Furthermore, appeal and stay of the final judgment of the State High Court given on the 10th of October are being perfected and hearing will commence thereafter.

“We call on all APC members to remain steadfast and refuse to be distracted as ultimate victory is assured. Those claiming victory and dancing in the streets are doing so either out of ignorance or out to deceive others.”

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