Spokesman of the Emeka Beke-led All Progressives Congress (APC) Rivers State, Mr Darlington Nwauju, has warned the National Working Committee (NWC) led by Alhaji Abdullahi Ganduje of the dangers of disregard for the rule of law.
This is as he accused the National Chairman of APC, of alleged disregard for court orders, injunctions and judgments relating to the party both in Rivers State and others warning that such contributed to the huge election losses suffered by the party in Rivers State in 2015, 2019 and 2023
He added that Ganduje was frustrating efforts of lasting peace in the leadership of the party in the state.
Speaking with Journalists on Monday, Nwauju accused Ganduje of dictatorial leadership style, urging him and Okocha’s leadership to stop desecrating the judiciary and de-marketing the party.
Nwauju expressed sadness over an alleged conspiracy to delete the memories of the supporters of Emeka Beke’s leadership of APC “who unfortunately lost their bid to rewrite the history of the party here in Rivers and ensure that justice is not served on sponsors and perpetrators of those barbaric crimes that took place in 2015, 2019 and 2023”.
Recall that a Port Harcourt High Court last week nullified the party’s recent LG and State congresses organised by the Tony Okocha-led Caretaker Committee, saying they were in utter disrespect of court order and Court judgment.
The High Court, presided over by Justice Godswill Obomanu, nullified the LGA and State congresses and awarded a cost of N10 million against the defendants (APC & Alhaji Ganduje), the National Chairman of the party.
ALSO READ: American Airlines resumes flights after FAA lifted nationwide groundstop
Nwauju regretted that the party had suffered avoidable media bashing in recent weeks and months “due to the dictatorial leadership style of Alhaji Ganduje who seems to be in such a hurry to rewrite our painful history”.
He said “It would not be out of place for any journalist in this room today to confidently construct beautiful headlines that will pull by the nose given the notorious fact that, Alhaji Abdullahi Ganduje, who promised internal democracy for the party on August 3, 2023 after his ratification by NEC, has managed the Rivers State chapter exactly like a workman quarrelling with his tools.
“We are worried that Alhaji Ganduje is doing everything possible to bully the very principles of progressivism upon which our party was founded and to even imagine the peculiarity of the Rivers state chapter of the party where tons of human beings had their lives cut short for their membership of the APC“.
Nwauju stressed that since the High Court judgement is on appeal and the Court of Appeal fixed 4th and 12th February 2025 to hear the matter, “what is the rush in countering the order of Court?
He said that if the APC under Ganduje had any respect for the rule of law, it would have waited for the determination of the cases in court before going on with the congresses again and injunction of the court.
Speaking about the alleged plan to suspend their supporters, he said “expelling Chief Emeka Beke and the rest of us who are rightful officers of the party in the state and accusing us of collaborating with the Governor of Rivers State to embarrass the APC? If we may ask which of the APCs?
The one they sabotaged in 2015, 2019 and 2023? Is it the same APC that they abandoned to join the SDP and jumped ship to openly campaign for the PDP and Governor Fubara? Nwauju questioned.
