Appeal Court Sacks Pro-Wike’s Rivers APC Exco, Upholds Nullification of Congresses

PORT HARCOURT, NIGERIA – The Court of Appeal sitting in Port Harcourt has upheld a ruling of the Rivers State High Court that voided the All Progressives Congress (APC) congresses which produced Tony Okocha and members of the party’s executive committee in the state . Okocha and members of the dissolved executive are known allies of the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) , Nyesom Wike . The controversy dates back to December 20, 2024, when Justice Godswill Obomanu of the Rivers State High Court issued an ex parte order restraining the APC from conducting its ward, local government, and state congresses in the state pending the determination of a suit before the court . Despite the subsisting court order, the party proceeded with the congresses, which eventually produced Okocha and other members of the state executive committee . The Emeka Beke-led faction subsequently returned to court, arguing that the congresses were conducted in defiance of a valid court order, leading the High Court to nullify the congresses and all actions arising from them .

Dissatisfied with the decision, the Okocha-led executive approached the Court of Appeal in Appeal No. CA/PH/523/2024 , contending that the High Court lacked jurisdiction to entertain the matter and was therefore not competent to issue the restraining order . However, in a judgment delivered on Friday, May 29, 2026, Justice Elfreida Oluwayemisi Williams-Dawodu of the Court of Appeal, Port Harcourt Division, affirmed the earlier ruling of the lower court and sustained the nullification of the congresses . The appellate court rejected Okocha’s argument and struck out the appeal for want of competence, effectively preserving the High Court’s order nullifying the congresses.

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Confirming the judgment, counsel to the Emeka Beke-led APC faction, Emenike Ebete, explained the legal implications of the ruling. “Before those congresses were conducted, the court gave an ex parte order restraining them from conducting the congresses. They disobeyed the order and went ahead to conduct ward, local government, and state congresses. So we returned to court and prayed that those congresses be nullified because they were conducted in violation of a court order, and the court granted the relief. They appealed against the ex parte order, arguing that the court had no jurisdiction and that the suit should be struck out. If that had happened, every consequential order, including the nullification of the congresses, would have collapsed. But the Court of Appeal held that the appeal was incompetent and struck it out. That means the High Court order nullifying the congresses still stands,” Ebete said .

The development is expected to have far-reaching implications for the party in Rivers State. Reports indicate that actions, decisions, and representations made by the Okocha-led executive on behalf of the APC since December 20, 2024, may now be considered null, void, and of no effect . There are also concerns that candidates produced by the party for future elections in the state could face legal challenges and risk of disqualification arising from the judgment . It should be noted that this appeal relates specifically to the interlocutory ex parte order and not to the substantive judgment of Justice Sika Aprioku that also sacked Tony Okocha and his exco as the leadership of the APC in Rivers State .

Responding to the ruling, the APC leadership loyal to Okocha dismissed suggestions that the executive had lost its standing, insisting that the matter remains unresolved pending a substantive hearing . In a statement issued on Saturday, the Rivers APC Publicity Secretary, Hon. Chibike Ikenga, maintained that the appellate court only determined an interlocutory appeal and directed that the substantive case return to the trial court for full trial . “The Leadership of the All Progressives Congress, Rivers State, is aware of the judgment of the Court of Appeal, Port Harcourt, dated Friday, May 29, 2026, in an interlocutory appeal and matter sent back to the Court of first instance for full trial in Appeal No. CA/PH/523/2024: APC & ANOR. V OKWU JOEBROWN NDIKE filed by the All Progressives Congress (APC) challenging the jurisdiction of the High Court directing the parties to ‘maintain status quo’ and also challenging the competence of the suit before the Rivers State High Court. There is no threat to the status of the EXCO pending full trial. Our lawyers will study the full judgment and advise on the next step. We advise party faithful to remain calm and not panic by the deliberate misrepresentation of the facts and circumstances of the judgment by those who lack in-depth knowledge of what transpired in the Court,” Ikenga said . The party noted that it has applied for a certified true copy of the judgment and will determine the next line of action after reviewing the full text. The case is expected to return to the trial court for further proceedings as the legal battle over the leadership of the Rivers APC continues.

Appeal Court Sacks Pro-Wike’s Rivers APC Exco, Upholds Nullification of Congresses

Two Logos, One Party: NDC’s Identity Crisis Deepens Ahead of Elections

ABUJA, NIGERIA – A finding conducted by Tribune Online has revealed inconsistencies in the use of the official logo of the Nigerian Democratic Congress (NDC) , with noticeable differences between the version displayed on the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) platform and those currently in circulation across media and campaign spaces . The review indicates that while one version of the NDC logo is hosted on INEC’s official platform as the recognised party symbol, a different version continues to appear widely in public-facing materials, including media publications and campaign-related visuals .

The discrepancy raises questions about standardisation of party identity , particularly in an electoral environment where visual symbols play a central role in voter recognition and ballot identification. In electoral practice, party logos often serve as key identifiers for voters, especially for individuals with limited political literacy or those encountering party materials for the first time. Any variation in such symbols, therefore, introduces the possibility of confusion during elections . One of the notable descriptions referenced in the course of the findings captured the concern succinctly: “What’s on the INEC platform is different from what is generally in use. This is where confusion will set in, especially with people who have zero idea about the popular logo in the media,” an X user with the handle @AnazaHerbert wrote . The inconsistency suggests a gap between the officially registered party symbol and its public usage, pointing to the need for closer alignment between both versions to ensure uniform recognition. At present, both versions remain in circulation ahead of future electoral activities, with the disparity yet to be formally addressed .

The NDC, which officially received its certificate of registration from INEC in February 2026 , has had a tortuous journey to registration that dates back to 2017 . According to the party’s National Leader and former Bayelsa State Governor, Senator Seriake Dickson , the NDC was among 171 political organisations that initially applied for registration . However, the process stalled when INEC, under its former chairman Prof. Mahmood Yakubu, suspended the registration of new political parties . When INEC later lifted the embargo, the NDC revived its application and was listed alongside the other associations. However, the party received a letter from INEC stating that its application was declined because its proposed logo—a two-finger sign —was similar to that of the All Progressives Congress (APC) broom . Dickson described the decision as shocking and unjust, noting that the party even offered to change the logo but was denied the opportunity.

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The NDC subsequently approached the Federal High Court to challenge INEC’s decision. According to the party’s National Legal Adviser, Reuben Egwuaba, the court not only upheld that the NDC logo was distinct from that of the APC but also noted that the second association INEC had cited as having a similar logo was not even a registered entity . The court subsequently directed INEC to register the NDC and proclaimed the party registered . Dickson emphasized that INEC did not appeal the judgment and that the period for appeal has elapsed. “No one, except INEC, has the locus standi to appeal the judgement. The judgment has been enforced by INEC and there’s nothing to appeal anymore,” he stated .

However, the controversy surrounding the NDC has refused to die down. The promoter of the Alliance for Democratic Action (ADA) , Dr. Umar Ardo , has consistently opposed the registration of the NDC, alleging that the group failed to comply with due constitutional and electoral procedures . In a recent interview on Arise Television’s Morning Show, Ardo explained that before registering a political party, an association must write a letter of intent to INEC . He claimed that INEC rejected the NDC’s initial request on the grounds that its logo was similar to those of existing political parties. According to Ardo, instead of challenging the decision in court within 14 days as required by law, the NDC wrote back to INEC requesting reconsideration . Ardo further alleged that the NDC eventually went to court using only its initial letter of intent, arguing that this was insufficient to establish compliance with the Electoral Act. He stated that associations seeking registration must complete Form EC15 and upload required documents, including the party constitution, manifesto, list of national executives, and evidence of fee payment, on INEC’s portal. “NDC did not pay. NDC did not fill that form. NDC did not do anything. NDC just took one letter to court,” Ardo stated . He maintained that INEC ought to have resisted and appealed the court judgment that favoured the NDC.

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In response, Senator Dickson dismissed Ardo’s claims as “misguided and sponsored propaganda” . He provided a detailed timeline, explaining that the NDC’s registration process began in 2017, long before Ardo contemplated registering a political party. Dickson accused INEC of initially declining the party’s application because its proposed two-finger logo was allegedly similar to the APC’s broom, a claim he described as shocking . “We wrote to INEC to assert our right to sue the electoral umpire. The court enforced our rights to freedom of association, deemed us registered, and directed INEC to register us,” Dickson said . He emphasized that INEC did not appeal the judgment and that the period for appeal has elapsed, arguing that no individual or group has the legal standing to challenge the party’s registration . Dickson also noted that the NDC is not the only party registered through a court order, citing the example of the NDP, which was registered under similar circumstances .

Upon receiving its certificate of registration, the NDC gave the mandatory 21-day notice to INEC, which observed the party’s first National Executive Committee (NEC) meeting, confirming its officers and setting dates for congresses and primaries . The party continues to gain momentum, with Dickson noting that Nigerians from across the country and in the diaspora are registering massively . However, with two versions of the party’s logo now in circulation and the disparity yet to be formally addressed by INEC or the party leadership, questions remain about the potential for voter confusion as the country prepares for future electoral activities.

Two Logos, One Party: NDC’s Identity Crisis Deepens Ahead of Elections

Tribune

Wike-Backed PDP Tells Jonathan to Reject 2027 Convention Amid Party Crisis

The internal crisis rocking the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has escalated, as the faction of the party led by Honourable Abdulrahman Mohammed has called on former President Goodluck Jonathan to publicly dissociate himself from attempts to link his name to a controversial 2027 presidential convention.

The development comes amid growing tensions between two rival leadership blocs within the opposition party, each laying claim to legitimacy ahead of the 2027 general elections.

The Abdulrahman Mohammed-led National Working Committee (NWC), which is currently recognised by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), described the planned ratification of Jonathan by the rival Interim National Working Committee (INWC) headed by Dr Tanimu Turaki as a “charade” designed to create confusion within the polity.

The Turaki-led faction had scheduled a special convention for Saturday in Abuja to formally ratify Goodluck Jonathan as PDP’s 2027 presidential candidate, despite no official declaration from the former president indicating interest in the race.

According to the Mohammed-led faction, there is no public record showing that Jonathan purchased nomination forms, submitted himself for screening, or participated in any official process leading to his emergence as a candidate.

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Speaking through its National Publicity Secretary, Honourable Jungudo Haruna Mohammed, the faction insisted that the PDP had already concluded all valid primary elections in line with the provisions of the Electoral Act 2026 and INEC guidelines.

The party said the primaries covered governorship, state Houses of Assembly, National Assembly and presidential positions across the 36 states and the Federal Capital Territory (FCT).

The faction had earlier announced former Senator Sandy Ojang Onor as its consensus presidential candidate after concluding what it described as duly conducted primaries.

In a strongly worded statement, the faction urged Jonathan to protect his political legacy by publicly rejecting the move.

It said the former president’s silence had continued to fuel speculation and deepen uncertainty over the leadership crisis within the party.

The statement read: “We respectfully call on former President Goodluck Ebele Jonathan to publicly dissociate himself from this charade in order to protect the integrity of the democratic process and preserve the credibility he earned while serving the nation.”

The dispute follows the April 30 Supreme Court judgment which invalidated the disputed Ibadan convention that produced the Turaki-led leadership structure.

Although the judgment was widely expected to settle the prolonged leadership tussle, both factions have continued to operate parallel structures while insisting they are the authentic leadership of the PDP.

The situation has been further complicated by the intervention of the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike, who warned hotels and event centres in Abuja against hosting political activities organised by groups not officially recognised by INEC.

The warning was communicated through his media aide, Lere Olayinka, who directed facility owners to verify the legitimacy of political organisers before accepting bookings.

Despite the warning, the Turaki-led camp has vowed to proceed with the convention at the A-Class Event Centre in Wuse 2, Abuja.

Its National Publicity Secretary, Ini Ememobong, described any attempt to stop the event as political intimidation and insisted all legal and contractual obligations had been fulfilled.

Political observers say the deepening PDP leadership crisis could significantly weaken the party’s chances of mounting a formidable challenge in the 2027 presidential election, especially as rival factions continue to battle for control.

The silence of Goodluck Jonathan on the matter has remained a major talking point, with many analysts insisting that a public clarification from the former president could help calm the escalating tension within the opposition party.

Wike-Backed PDP Tells Jonathan to Reject 2027 Convention Amid Party Crisis