The leadership of the All Progressives Congress in Rivers State, headed by Emeka Beke, has declared invalid all nominations, decisions and political actions carried out by the Tony Okocha-led executive following a recent Court of Appeal judgment.
The development comes after the appellate court in Port Harcourt upheld an earlier High Court ruling that recognised Beke as the authentic chairman of the party in the state. The court also nullified the congresses that produced the Okocha-led executive.
In a statement issued by the party’s spokesperson, Darlington Nwauju, the Beke-led leadership maintained that every action taken by the rival faction between December 20, 2024, and May 29, 2026, no longer has any legal standing. According to the party, this includes nominations, official communications, records and political decisions made during that period.
The declaration affects political processes conducted under the Okocha structure, including reported governorship, National Assembly and House of Assembly primaries held ahead of the 2027 elections.
The Beke faction also called on the National Working Committee of the APC to review and remove records connected to the disputed primaries. It warned that failure to address the issue could create legal challenges for the party in future elections.
In addition, the group urged the Rivers State Independent Electoral Commission to withdraw certificates earlier issued to local government chairmen and councillors elected during the August 2025 council polls conducted under the disputed structure.
The court ruling has created fresh uncertainty within the party as questions emerge over the validity of some political positions, nominations and recent defections linked to the Okocha-led executive.
Political observers believe the judgment has shifted attention to the issue of which faction has the legal authority to organise party activities and produce candidates for future elections. They say the ruling could play a major role in determining the direction of the APC in Rivers State ahead of the 2027 general election.
With the legal dispute now tilting in favour of the Beke-led leadership, attention is expected to focus on how the APC national leadership will handle decisions already taken under the rival faction and resolve the party’s internal crisis in the state.