The All Progressives Congress in Rivers State has strongly denounced a lawsuit filed by party chieftain Tony Okocha.
The lawsuit seeks to stop the allocation of funds to local government councils in the state.
According to the APC, Okocha’s caretaker committee was dissolved by a court judgment but continues to operate illegally. The party accused Okocha of undermining the state’s well-being and frustrating local councils, depriving them of essential funds, according to Politics Nigeria.
The APC stated that Okocha’s actions disregard a valid court judgment that invalidated his appointment.
Despite being sacked, Okocha’s group continues to operate, boasting of obtaining a judgment from an Abuja court to halt allocations to local governments.
The lawsuit has sparked concerns about its potential impact on thousands of Rivers people who rely on the local government system for their livelihood.
The APC emphasized the need to respect the rule of law and allow the local government system to function effectively.
This development highlights the ongoing internal conflicts within the APC in Rivers State and their implications for the state’s governance and welfare.
The statement partly read, “We have carefully studied events in our dear state, especially as it pertains to the functioning of the local government system, and have come to the realisation that throwing our arms up in the air like Pontius Pilate or sitting in the fence will only further thin out what is left of the democratic fibre of the state.
“We are shocked at the continuous gleeful disdainful treatment for a valid judgment of the Court which had sacked Tony Okocha and his group.
“It is shameful that Okocha and his friends who do not believe or respect the judgment of the High Court which invalidated their so-called appointment by NWC after more than nine months of litigation have been openly boasting of getting judgment from a court of coordinate jurisdiction in Abuja, to stop allocations to local governments in Rivers State thereby frustrating thousands of Rivers people whose livelihood and survival is dependent on the local government system, especially council workers.”
