- ... Court sacks pro-Wike APC leadership, reinstates Amaechi's loyalists
An explosion on Monday rocked the Action People's Party (APP) secretariat in the GRA area of Port Harcourt, Rivers State.
The blast, suspected to have been caused by dynamite, shattered windows, doors, and other property within the building.
Although the perpetrators remain unidentified, APP leaders have attributed the attack to political thugs.
The incident has sparked speculation, coinciding with rumours that Rivers State Governor Siminalayi Fubara may defect to the APP.
Sources close to the governor, speaking anonymously, revealed that discussions are underway for Fubara and his supporters to join the APP. This follows allegations that his predecessor, Nyesom Wike, has hijacked the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in the state, leading to Fubara's estrangement.
Uche Nnadi, the National Chairman of the APP, condemned the attack during a press briefing at the scene. He expressed relief that no one was harmed, noting that party members had left the secretariat just minutes before the explosion.
Nnadi linked the attack to the political climate in Rivers State, accusing those behind it of attempting to destabilise the state and undermine Governor Fubara's plans, particularly regarding the forthcoming local government elections.
He called on President Bola Tinubu and security agencies to take swift action against those responsible, urging them to ensure that justice is served.
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The Rivers State Commissioner of Police, Olatunji Disu, confirmed that the police bomb unit has been deployed to secure the APP secretariat. He assured the public that investigations are ongoing to identify and apprehend those involved in the attack.
In a related development, a Rivers State High Court sitting in Port Harcourt has nullified the sacking of the Emeka Beke-led executive of the All Progressives Congress in Rivers State.
The Court, presided over by Justice Sika Aprioku, on Monday afternoon ruled that the National Working Committee of the APC does not have the power to dissolve an elected executive of a state or set up a caretaker committee when the tenure of the elected executive is still running.
The court therefore sacked the Caretaker Committee of the party in the state, led by Chief Tony Okocha, and reinstated the Emeka Beke-led executive.
Justice Aprioku further barred Tony Okocha and members of the CTC from further parading as executives of the APC in Rivers State.
Beke is a loyalist of the former Minister of Transport, Rotimi Amaechi, while Okocha is a loyalist of the current Minister of the FCT, Nyesom Wike.
