The National Leadership of the All Progressive Congress(APC) is set to dissolve the Ojukaye Flag-Amachree led executives of the Party in Rivers State,PUO REPORTS has exclusively learnt.
The battle for the soul of the All Progressives Congress, APC in Rivers state between the Minister of Transportation, Rotimi Amaechi and Senator Magnus Abe had produced two Factions of the Party with one Loyal to the Minister of Transportation and the other to Senator Magnus Abe.
The 23 aggrieved members of the APC in Rivers state loyal to Senator Abe had secured a court injunction stopping the conduct of APC congresses in the state, siting injustice and intimidation by the Minister.
But the APC in Rivers state led by former governor Rotimi Amaechi, who is also the Director-General of the President Muhammadu Buhari Campaign Organization, conducted the congresses which saw the emergence of Hon Ojukaye Flag Amachree as the Chairman of the All Progressive Congress in Rivers State,but the election was subsequently declared nulled and void Justice Nworgu of the Rivers State High Court.
A New Trend to the Tussle was Two Separate Letters Written by the Legal Office of the National Secretariat of the All Progressive Congress notifying the Court to stop two lawyers from further representing the state chapter of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in a matter before it.
The two lawyers barred from further representation of the party in the suit are Lateef Fagbemi (SAN) and Tuduru Edeh in a matter brought before the court by the 23 aggrieved APC members against their wrongful denial from participation in the ward congresses of the party, contrary to its constitution.
While stating the court’s position, Justice Chiwendu Nwogu of the Rivers State High Court 21, had ruled that only the party (APC) can determine who represents it in court as counsel and thereby directed Tuduru Edeh and Lateef Fagbemi SAN to refrain from further representation of the APC in the matter. He referred to a letter presented to the court from the APC Head of legal services, stopping the two from further representing the party in the matter.
Henry Bello, Counsel to the plaintiffs (23 aggrieved members of the APC) said the objective of Azundah urging the court to also restrain Felix C. Nwafor from representing the party in court could not stand because Nwafor representation of the party has not been challenged.
He said “they (O.S.F. Azundah and his team) left the court with no option but to allow Nwafor whose representation has not been challenged by the APC and was briefed by the state party legal adviser to continue appearance for the APC. “On the 31st of July, 2018, APC wrote to Tuduru Edeh, Lateef Fagbemi SAN asking them both to refrain from further representation of the APC on this matter, based on this letter which the court has held today that these two lawyers are no longer lawyers to APC.
“Today we have moved the main matter, the substantive case, that is, the original summons that was adjourned because of vacation but is adjourned to the 24th day of September, 2018 for judgement.”
PUO REPORTS gathered that the National Leadership of the All Progressive Congress is in full support of the activities of Senator Magnus Abe and have reportedly endorsed his candidature of the All Progressive Congress For Rivers 2019 Governorship election.
The Faction of the Party loyal to Senator Magnus Abe is about opening a parallel Party Secretariat in Aba Road Axis of Portharcourt,this Development PUO REPORTS learnt is to pave way for the dissolution of the Ojukaye Amachree led faction of the Party.
The National Chairman of the APC Comrade Adams Oshiomhole has already concluded plans to set up a Caretaker Commitee which will oversee the party during the electioneering period until the cases in Court Are Over
