The All Progressive Congress (APC) in Rivers State, led by the reinstated Chairman Emeka Beke, has warned a chieftain of the party, Tony Okocha, to stop challenging court judgement on the allocation of funds to local governments, News About Nigeria reports.
The party gave this warning via a press statement issued by the party’s spokesman, Darlington Nwauju.
According to the statement, Okocha is seeking to stop funds allocation to the local government councils by instituting a lawsuit.
The party maintained that Tony Okocha and his caretaker committee had been sacked but have continued to parade themselves against a subsisting court judgement.
Nwauju accused Tony Okocha of not meaning well for the state and being after frustrating the councils because they no longer have access to their funds.
This is coming in the wake of a press briefing over the weekend where Okocha admitted to going to court to stop funds allocation to the councils over what he described as a faulty process.
The statement reads in part, “ATTEMPTS AT SEQUESTERING THE THIRD TIER OF GOVERNMENT BY BLOCKING LOCAL GOVERNMENT ALLOCATIONS IN RIVERS STATE IS TANTAMOUNT TO COUP D’ETAT ~ OKOCHA AND CO HAVE BEEN SACKED AND REMAIN SACKED
“We have carefully studied events in our dear state, especially as it pertains the functioning of the local government system and have come to the realization that throwing our arms up in the air like Pontius Pilate or sitting on 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 judgement 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 judgement 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 judgement 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.
“We do not believe that the judiciary should continue to allow itself to be manipulated by desperate politicians to the point of deposing affidavits in the name of the All Progressives Congress in Rivers State, whereas a competent court in Port Harcourt had taken a stand against the contraption Tony Okocha claims to represent (refer to Suit No. PHC/3592/CS/2023).”
