Rivers 2019: Wike, Abe Deliberately Misinterpreting Appeal Court Ruling - Eze

*Describes the celebration of a partial court's ruling as an exhibition of ignorance

Members of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Rivers state have been asked to ignore the alleged misinterpretation of Wednesday's Court of Appeals' action by those described as enemies of the party.

A chieftain of APC in Rivers state, Chief Eze Chukwuemeka Eze, who gave the advice in a statement issued and circulated in Port Harcourt on Thursday, noted that the celebration of a partial court's ruling, which had no categorical pronouncement or judgment, was an exhibition of ignorance or an attempt at confusing and misleading ignorant followers who have no idea of judicial processes.

It would be recalled that there were wild jubilations in the camps of the Rivers state governor, Chief Nyesom Wike, Senator Magnus Abe and the State's Chapter of the People's Democratic Party (PDP) over the reported dismissal of two suits instituted against an earlier High Court judgment.

However, Eze pointed out that those celebrating the ruling, knowing well that it was not the full judgment, which had been suspended till after an expected Supreme Court decision, are doing so to achieve some dubious ends.

"Celebration of partial ruling of the High Court without given judgment on the subsistive issue before the Court by Wike and Abe and their misguided followers shows that their days as students of the law are wasted years or a ploy to give false hope to their followers. 

"These people know very well that the ruling of the Appeal Court has nothing to do with what they are causing their followers to celebrate; it was a ruling dismissing suits, which made no categorical pronouncement on the status of our candidates, they know the judgment is suspended until after the Supreme Court gives its decision on another pending matter, which had been adjourned till March next year.

"So if they are aware of all these and still went ahead to give their ignorant followers a fool's hope, then they are only out to achieve some dubious ends. To us, they are out to achieve two things; one, to keep their people in a state of delirium until the truth catch up with them and they have a reason to cry foul and cause chaos. Number two, they hope to cause panic in Rivers APC and dampen the spirit of our loyal and devoted members.

"However, we will encourage all true members of the APC in the state to ignore the fool's day joke which the trio of Governor Wike, Senator Abe and their party, the PDP, are delighting themselves with. It is all a silly joke, which has no reality in law and justice. 

"These two gentlemen failed to appreciate that despite these seemingly  setbacks, it is important to state that, the Apc still has three subsisting appeals before the court of appeal namely: CA/PH/267/2018, CA/196/ 2018 and another, challenging representation  by counsel and the jurisdiction of the court to entertain. These appeals are all still alive and are pending before the court of Appeal, Port Harcourt division and have not been determined", he said.

Eze also noted that the Supreme Court had heard some aspects of the interlocutory appeal pending before it and had adjourned for judgment on 8/3/19, saying "so with all these pending cases that are still subsisting and not determined, what is it that warranted the wild and ignorant celebration by Wike and Abe at the Rivers state Government House by yesterday?

Eze reiterated that Senator  Abe's action need not further interpretation which is to ensure that Governor Wike of PDP continue his misuse of the funds of Rivers State by ensuring that Rivers State APC doesn't field candidates for the 2019 general elections. In this regard, he suggested to the APC Reconciliation Committee for the South -South zone headed by the immediate past Governor of Osun State,  Mr. Raul Aregbesola  to take note of Abe's true mission and recommend appropriate punishment to the National Working Committee of the party accordingly. 

                                                                                                                                   

He finally appealed to the APC leadership and faithful to go about their campaigns diligently and prayerfully in order to ensure that Wike and his chain of jesters are chased out of the Government House come March 2019 as "they have by this unwarranted celebration proven that they are afraid of the APC presenting candidates for the 2019 general elections."