A leadership crisis has erupted within the Action People’s Party (APP) in Rivers State, as a Federal High Court in Port Harcourt granted an ex parte order for substituted service on the Rivers State APP Chairman, Sunny Wokekoro, the 23 chairmanship candidates for the forthcoming local government elections, and the Rivers State Independent Electoral Commission (RSIEC).
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The court action was initiated by Hart Badom, Destiny Omereji, and four other members of the APP.
They are contesting the leadership of Wokekoro and calling for his removal, asserting that Badom is the legitimate state chairman.
Additionally, the plaintiffs are questioning the legitimacy of the 23 APP chairmanship candidates, casting doubt on when they officially became party members.
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The plaintiffs, represented by Excel Omeghara Esq, also seek to nullify all actions taken by Wokekoro, including his selection of the candidates for the local government election, calling them unlawful.
Justice Emmanuel Obele, who presided over the case, approved the motion to serve the defendants by substituted means, given the circumstances.
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The APP has seen a surge in prominence in Rivers State recently, after it was adopted by loyalists of Governor Siminalayi Fubara as the platform to contest the October 5 local government elections.
Many of these APP candidates are former members of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), who switched to APP amid internal disputes within the PDP.
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The PDP in Rivers State has since opted to boycott the elections.
Aaron Chikwuemeka, the state chairman, reaffirmed the party’s decision in a recent press briefing, declaring that the party remains loyal to former Governor and current Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike, who continues to wield significant influence despite his successor, Governor Fubara, constitutionally assuming PDP leadership in the state.
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