RIVERS APC CRISIS DEEPENS AS FACTIONS CLASH OVER COURT RULING

RIVERS APC CRISIS DEEPENS AS FACTIONS CLASH OVER COURT RULING
The leadership crisis rocking the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Rivers State has intensified following conflicting interpretations of a recent Court of Appeal ruling. The appellate court struck out an interlocutory injunction obtained by Peter Ohochukwu against the party’s congresses, ruling that internal party affairs are not justiciable.
The faction led by Chief Tony Okocha hailed the ruling as a reaffirmation of its legitimacy, describing it as a final blow to the Emeka Beke-led camp. In a statement, spokesman Hon. Chibike Ikenga declared Okocha the “undisputed” APC state chairman, citing judicial precedent.
However, the Beke-led faction quickly countered, asserting that the ruling did not overturn the substantive judgment of August 12, 2024, which upheld Beke’s leadership until October 2025. Their spokesman, Hon. Darlington Nwauju, accused Okocha’s camp of misrepresenting the appellate ruling, insisting that the Court of Appeal only addressed procedural issues and not the core matter of leadership.
The legal ambiguity has further fractured the state APC as the party prepares for a critical period leading to the 2027 general elections.