Again, Courts’ Hammer Falls On Wike’s Friends In APC, PDP

It was double tragedy for political allies of the FCT Minister, Nyesom Wike, in the APC and the PDP on Friday, as two court judgements dealt a heavy blow on the minister’s followers. In Abuja, the court of appeal sacked the national secretary of the PDP, Samuel Anyanwu, while a Rivers State High Court also sacked the party exco that emerged during the last congresses in Rivers State.

Among those sacked are Chief Tony Okocha who emerged winner during last month’s congress, as chairman of the party.

Apart from today’s court judgement that sacked the factional state exco, the other faction led by Emeka Bekee is in the court of appeal over the same leadership tussle. A state high court had earlier declared Bekee and his team as the authentic exco, a decision that did not sit down well with the Okocha faction, hence their decision to approach the appellate court.

The Okocha faction is believed to be loyal to the FCT minister, while the Bekee faction is suspected to be having some romance with the state government.

On the other hand, Anyanwu is believed to be loyal to the FCT minister. He had resigned as secretary of the party to enable him contest for the governorship of Imo State in November last year, but could not make it.

He was to make a dramatic return to the office, an action that was opposed by many party members who decided to approach the court. On Friday, the appeal court ruled that Anyanwu had ceased to be the party’s scribe.

Friday’s judgment is the third loss in a row on matters that the FCT minister is suspected to have had some interest. On his birthday exactly a week ago, the court of appeal had ruled annulled an earlier court order stopping the release of allocations from the federation account.

The judgement from the Rivers State high court came following a suit by some aggrieved party members who were denied the right to contest for positions during last month’s congresses, after they had bought the party’s nomination forms.

The members had earlier secured an injunction stopping the congresses. They had told the court that the injunction was served on the APC but that the party willingly refused to obey the court order and went ahead with the exercise.

In passing the judgement, Justice Godswill Obomanu descended heavily on the APC for disobeying the court’s order and imposed a fine of N10 million, a decision that Chief Emenike Ebete, counsel to the aggrieved APC members felt was well thought out.

But counsel to the defendants, Achineke William- Wobodo told journalists after the court sitting that he would consult with his clients who would give instructions on further actions, even as he said that there were enough proof before the court to show that the APC was not served with any court order stopping the congresses.