The roots of the legal battle trace back to December 20, 2024, when Justice Godswill Obomanu of the Rivers State High Court issued an ex parte order strictly restraining the APC from conducting any congresses in the state. Despite the active court order, the Tony Okocha faction defied the directive and moved forward with the congresses, which ultimately midwived the emergence of Okocha as the state party chairman alongside other executives.
Furious at the open defiance of the judiciary, the opposing faction loyal to Chief Emeka Beke returned to the High Court, praying that the congresses be voided due to intentional disobedience of a court order. The lower court agreed and nullified the congresses.
Dissatisfied with losing his grip on power, Tony Okocha filed an appeal (Appeal No: CA/PH/523/2026), arguing that the Rivers State High Court lacked the jurisdiction to issue the restraining order in the first place. However, the Court of Appeal completely shut down that line of defense, affirming that the lower court had full jurisdiction and declaring Okocha’s appeal incompetent.
What the Sacking of Okocha’s Exco Means for Rivers State Politics
The legal implications of this appellate court judgment are sweeping across the Port Harcourt political landscape. Speaking to journalists immediately after the ruling, Emenike Ebete, counsel to the Emeka Beke-led APC faction, explained that the decision heavily discredits the validity of the Okocha executive.
According to Ebete, because the Court of Appeal sustained the nullification of the congresses, every official piece of correspondence, nomination, or political activity signed or authorized by Tony Okocha since 2024 is technically null, void, and of no legal effect. This includes internal party processes linked to recent local government elections.
"They disobeyed the order of the court, went ahead and conducted local government, state, and ward congresses," Ebete stated. "The good news is that the appellate court said their appeal was incompetent and struck it out, meaning that the order the High Court made nullifying their congresses still stands."
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