George Orlu & Ors. Vs Rivers APC: Exercise Restraint As We Redress The Travesty Of Justice – David Okumgba: Read Full Article
The All Progressives Congress in the South-South geopolitical zone has learnt of a judgement delivered yesterday by Justice E. A Obile of the Federal High Court in Port Harcourt, wherein the trial judge shockingly nullified all the primary elections of the APC held in Rivers State, in a matter brought before him by one Mr. George Orlu & Ors. Continue Reading
The South-South APC is pained to note that Justice Obile, against all reasonable objections and evidences presented by the defence counsels of our party in Rivers State, looked the other way and ruled in favour of the plantiffs who are verifiable card-carrying members of the opposition Social Democratic Party, SDP, in a matter which is clearly an internal party affair of the APC.
The South-South APC strongly differs with this judgement on the grounds that the lower court lacked jurisdiction to entertain the case in the first instance, since it is purely an internal affair of a political party.
It may interest the general public to know that the Supreme Court of Nigeria has in her wisdom declared that a party is supreme over her internal affairs and is guided by her own rules (Igo Aguma Vs Rivers APC & 2 Ors. (2021).
We therefore view this obnoxious ruling as a miscarriage of justice against the APC and an orchestrated plot by enemies of democracy to circumvent the path to a keenly contested election in Rivers State next year.
Whilst frowning at this temporary setback, we reinstate our unwavering commitment to capture the entire zone for APC in 2023 and categorically assert that Rivers State is no exception.
Our party in Rivers State should as a matter of urgency assemble her legal team, with a view to review this judgement and possibly proceeding to the appellate court for redress.
Also, we enjoin all our party members, our numerous supporters and indeed all well-meaning Rivers people, who are tired of the uninspiring administration of the PDP-led State Government, to exercise restraint at this provocation occasioned by this judicial vitiation and travesty.
This is a trial of faith and test of loyalty. We are certain that justice will be gotten, and promptly too, at the higher courts.
Finally, we urge the party leadership across all levels in the state to have a stakeholders’ engagement without further delay to reassure our people that justice delayed is not denied.
On the road to next year’s general elections, our party will not allow a reenactment of the 2019 drama. Together, we shall be witnesses and partners to an APC victory across all levels in 2023.
