APC: Fight Over Candidates Begin

• Matter may be resolved in Court

By PHC Telegraph

Hours after candid-ates of the All Progres-sives Congress, APC, were handed over party flags at the Elechi Amadi Polytechnic playground, a faction led by Chief Emeka Beke has forwarded a list of ‘autenthic’ candidates to the State Independent Electoral Commission, RSIEC.

Beke who disclosed this in Port Harcourt says any list of APC candidates which has not emanated from his executive should be ignored by RSIEC officials.

Insisting that he is the authentic State party chairman, Emeka suggested that those who have been parading as party flagbearers may be impostors.

Beke’s assertion has once again reopened claims and counter claims that have been associated with the APC.

It is however an indication that these factional disagreements, including the selection of candidates within the APC, which have not been wholly addressed might be settled in court.

Whereas the faction led by Tony Okocha who also doubles as the State Rep of the NDDC draws strength from its existing recognition from the national secretariat of the party, Emeka Beke duly elected at a popular convention has the backing of a judgment delivered by a High Court.

Meanwhile, some indigenes of Rivers State have raced to court to challenge the decision to conduct council elections.

Listed as defendants in the suit, marked FHC/ABJ/CS/1144/2025 dated August 11, 2025, are the Rivers State Government and the Rivers State Independent Electoral Commission.

The plaintiffs in the matter are Fredrick Ededeh, Benita Samuel, Jane Madubuike, Boma Aggo, and Comfort Agbom.

The plaintiffs, all indigenes of Rivers State, argue that the situation existing in the state is not conducive to conduct local government elections.

Accordingly, they are asking the court to determine whether local council polls can be conducted while a state of emergency.

Nigeria’s Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, had earlier cautioned against any attempt to short-change the provisions of the Electoral Act.

That warning has been largely ignored by RSIEC officials and their backers who are claiming that President Bola Tinubu’s directives are superior in content to the provisions of the Act.