The Court of Appeal in Port Harcourt has affirmed a Rivers State High Court judgment that nullified the All Progressives Congress (APC) congresses in Rivers State which produced Tony Okocha and members of the party’s executive council. Okocha and the dissolved executives are known allies of the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike.
The legal dispute originated from a December 20, 2024 ruling by Justice Obomanu of the Rivers State High Court, which declared the APC congresses invalid and consequently nullified the leadership structure that emerged from them.
Dissatisfied with the judgment, Okocha and members of the executive council appealed the decision. However, in a judgment delivered on Friday, May 29, Justice Elfreida Oluwayemisi Williams-Dawodu of the Court of Appeal, Port Harcourt Division, upheld the High Court’s ruling, effectively sustaining the nullification of the congresses.
The appellate court’s decision implies that actions, decisions, and representations made by the Okocha-led executive on behalf of the APC since December 20, 2024, may be considered invalid. The ruling also raises questions about the status of candidates produced by the party for future elections in Rivers State.
Reacting to the judgment, the Rivers APC leadership maintained that the ruling does not affect the status of the executive council pending the determination of the substantive case. The party’s Publicity Secretary, Chibike Ikenga, explained that the Court of Appeal only ruled on an interlocutory appeal and subsequently returned the matter to the trial court for a full hearing.
“The leadership of the All Progressives Congress in Rivers State is aware of the judgment delivered by the Court of Appeal, Port Harcourt, on Friday, May 29, 2026, in an interlocutory appeal. The matter has been remitted to the court of first instance for a full trial,” Ikenga said.
“There is no threat to the status of the executive council pending the full trial. Our lawyers will study the complete judgment and advise on the next line of action. We urge party faithful to remain calm and disregard misleading interpretations of the judgment by individuals who do not fully understand the proceedings and circumstances of the case.”
The matter is expected to return to the trial court for further proceedings as the legal battle over the leadership of the Rivers State APC continues.
