Members of the caretaker committee of the Rivers State chapter of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) have been inaugurated by the National Working Committee of the party despite a court order restraining it from doing so, and the rejection of the dissolution of the state’s executives, which was announced at the party secretariat by the National Publicity Secretary, Felix Morka, on Wednesday.
The state’s APC Publicity Secretary, Darlington Nwauju while reacting to the development had stated that ”the state executives reject the dissolution because it is illegal and cannot stand”.
Similarly, a Federal Capital Territory (FCT) High Court had restrained the national leadership of the All Progressives Congress (APC) from inaugurating the newly appointed Caretaker Committee members for Rivers State.
Following an ex parte application filed by Peter Ohochukwu, representing himself and all the elected state executives of the APC in Rivers State, issued an interim order of injunction restraining the NWC of the APC, their men and officers, agents, privies and servants from taking any step capable of affecting, destroying or distorting the performance of the elected Rivers State executives of the party.
The court also compelled parties in the suit to maintain status quo, pending the hearing and determination of the motion on notice.
The respondents in the case include the Abdullahi Ganduje, National Chairman of the APC, Senator Surajudeen Ajibola Basiru, National Secretary, APC, Chief Tony Okocha, Eric Nwibani, the Nigerian Police Force, the Inspector General of Police and the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).
The inauguration, which took place at the national headquarters of the APC in Abuja around 12.30 pm, had the party’s National Chairman, Dr Abdullahi Ganduje; Vice Chairman for South-South, Victor Giadom and members of the NWC in attendance.
Addressing the newly sworn-in officers after the oath-taking, Ganduje asked them to prepare themselves for the arduous task of reconciling factions and members who had left the party.
The APC national chairman also charged them to use the six-month duration to create an enabling environment for the congress that will usher in leadership at all levels.
He said, “I want to congratulate the newly sworn-in members of the caretaker committee. I am sure you are fully aware that since 2015, the APC has been suffering some setbacks in the areas of conflicts, litigations, and counter-litigations that finally resulted in the loss of our great party in Rivers State.
“So, this new NWC has taken a look at the issues pertaining to the party both at national and individual state levels and decided to reform the party. There is no doubt we have members who have been with APC since inception. Some left the party. Some prominent chieftains who left the party even contested against us in another political party. They now wish to come back. Those who left to form factions are also ready to come back.
“You can see that there is no better time to rejig the party than now especially under a new state party leadership and we have confidence in you. Part of the reform system we have introduced includes electronic registration of our members and we request that you pay attention to the electronic registration of our members and do some work to spearhead the exercise.
“We expect you to constitute various committees to get more members into the party. That is the work you should do and we expect you to create an enabling environment so congresses could be conducted for the emergence of leadership at local government, state, and even senatorial levels.
”There should be no discrimination because you are a product of unity.”
