Rivers Crisis: Okocha-Led APC Defies Court Order, Conducts State Congress

The Tony Okocha-led faction of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Rivers State has held its state congress despite a court order barring such activities.

A Rivers State High Court in Port Harcourt had earlier issued an ex parte order restraining APC National Chairman Abdullahi Ganduje and the party’s leadership from organizing congresses in the state. The court order, tied to a pending lawsuit, specifically prohibited the conduct of congresses on November 23 and 30, 2024, or any other date, until the substantive case is resolved.

The lawsuit was filed by Okwu Joebrown-Ndike, Peace Oganu, and Samuel Uchegbule, who accused the party of excluding them from the congresses despite their payment for nomination forms to contest leadership positions.

However, the Okocha faction went ahead with the congress, which was held at the factional APC secretariat along the Port Harcourt-Aba Expressway. The faction’s Caretaker Committee (CTC) was also dissolved by the Chairman of the Congress Planning Committee to pave the way for fresh elections.

Prominent party members in attendance included South-South National Vice Chairman Chief Victor Giadom, Chidi Wihioka, Ephraim Nwuzi, Magnus Abe, Tony Okocha, and other members of the dissolved caretaker committee.

This development further underscores the division within the Rivers APC. The party’s leadership in the state is split between two factions: one loyal to former Rivers Governor and Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike, and the other aligned with former Governor Rotimi Amaechi. The duly elected state executive led by Chief Emeka Beke, which supports Amaechi, is still recognized, with its tenure set to expire in 2025.