- Celebrates Judge’s withdrawal from suit seeking to nullify APC congress in Rivers
Leaders of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Rivers State have accused Governor Nyesom Wike of sponsoring suits in court to devastate the party in the state. The opposition also celebrated the withdrawal of a State High Court Judge from some suits seeking to nullify APC congress in the state. The APC leaders also linked Senator Magnus Abe to the perceived subversive court cases against the party in Rivers.
The presiding Judge in a suit seeking to nullify the congress of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Rivers State at the State High Court, Justice, I.R. Minakiri, has recused himself from the case and returned the case to the Chief Judge of Rivers State, Justice S.C. Amadi.
The suit: Suit No. PHC/1955/2021: Ogechi Ogwu Edwin & Ors. V. All Progressives Congress & Anor.,
Ogechi Ogwu Edwin and others had approached the Rivers State High Court in Suit No. PHC/1955/CS/2021 seeking for an interlocutory injunction against the former Rivers State APC Caretaker Committee. They are seeking among other reliefs, an order of the court to set aside the congress of the APC in Rivers State.
The presiding Judge Justice I. R. Minakiri, withdrew from the matter after studying the case file.
APC leaders in Rivers State, declared: “My Lord had already adjourned the matter to the 24th day of February 2022 for Judgment before he recused himself from the suit for reasons not unconnected to some external pressure by Magus Abe and Governor Wike who are bent on using the judicial process as an instrument of political subterfuge.”
They said that the trial Judge returned the case file to the Chief Judge of the state while washing his hands off the matter just like Pontius Pilate.
Justice Minakiri had withdrawn from another suit instituted by Alaibo Soibibo & 3 Ors. against the Rivers State APC and Isaac Ogbobula.
APC leaders, therefore, declared: “The move by the Learned trial judge to recuse himself from the suits came on the heels of incessant pressure from Governor Wike to cow my Lord into doing the bidding of Mr. Magnus Abe. This has been their stock in trade.”
The Rivers APC leaders subsequently declared that the party’s adversary is Governor Wike who, they said, is bent on stifling every possible opposition in Rivers State.
“It is however unfortunate that Mr. Magnus Abe and his ungodly followers have made themselves cheap tools in the willing but dirty hands of Governor Wike for pecuniary benefits or whatever their benefits may be.
“We make bold to state that the tenure of Governor Wike will elapse very soon and the judges should not risk making themselves willing tools in the hands of Governor Wike whose tenure will elapse by May 2023.
“The Judges of Rivers State High Court should know that their career is much more important than the murky waters of politics Governor Wike has dragged them into.
“They should, therefore, resist any further attempt by Governor Wike to use them to achieve his sinister political motives in Rivers State. Justice Gbasam Okogbule and others made themselves ready tools in the hands of Governor Wike.
“Any Judge who dares to interfere this time around into the internal affairs of Rivers APC will definitely run into troubled waters as we will not hesitate to petition such a Judge to the NJC for appropriate disciplinary action.
“At this point, it is only proper we advise the already battered Magnus Abe and his co travelers that they are again traveling the lonely and unpopular road of ignominy. Instead of joining the APC Rivers State to build a robust and formidable party where hard work is rewarded, where hate is eschewed and love for a prosperous state is made the driving spirit or in the alternative cut their losses and lick their wounds quietly in their hideouts. Governor Wike cannot help you this time around.”