The Rotimi Chibuike Amaechi’s faction of the Rivers State Chapter of the All Progressives Congress (APC) has applauded yesterday’s Supreme Court judgment, which threw out the bid by Mr. Igo Aguma to reclaim the chairmanship position of the party in the state.
The court also affirmed that Hon. Victor Giadom was right to have assumed office as Acting National Chairman of the party, but noted that the ruling was now “academic”.
Aguma had approached the Supreme Court to reinstate him as the chairman of the APC in the state, but the apex court instead declared Isaac Ogbobula as the rightful chairman.
The court also affirmed the judgment of the Court of Appeal, which had earlier annulled the retired Justice Omereji’s High Court verdict.
Spokesman of Amaechi’s faction of the party, Ogbonna Nwuke, while reacting to the Apex Court’s ruling, described it as upright and just.
This is as Aguma and his media assistant, Mr. Livingstone Nweche, resigned their membership of the party yesterday. Nwuke said:
“Today the Supreme Court has finally ended all arguments relating to who the authentic chairman of the Rivers Caretaker Committee is. It is now clear that Igo Aguma was a meddlesome tombo fly who had no right, under whatever guise, to challenge the right of the party to choose leaders of its Caretaker Committee.
“Based on the ruling, Isaac Ogbobula is the authentic chairman. Now that the obstacles placed on the way of the Rivers APC have been removed, we want to thank the Justices of the Supreme Court for their wisdom and upright decision.
“The Rivers people are elated by the ruling of the apex court. The decision has lifted the veil and put all who were behind the action to destabilise the APC to shame.
“We thank our leader, Rt. Hon Rotimi Amaechi, for his sterling leadership qualities and commend all those who fought on the side of truth. We cannot thank them enough. Now that the storm is over, we wish to state categorically that our doors are open to receive all who believe in the mission of the APC.”
While announcing his resignation from the party in a statement he personally signed, Aguma, said: “It is now clear that it is not within the purview of the court to protect the rights and privileges of members of a political party, in this case, the APC. It is the APC that should protect the rights of her members but has failed to do so.
“I can not continue to be a member of a political party that endangers and does not give any form of protection to the rights of its members and has no respect whatsoever for its own constitution at all but chooses to be run against democratic principles intoto for self destructive purposes. Therefore, I announce my exit from the APC immediately. To God be the glory.”