The West African Court of Appeal (WACA) settled the dispute over the status of Port Harcourt in 1958 in the case between Ikwerre and Okrika.
The court ruled in favour of the Igbo/Ikwerre side, affirming that Port Harcourt belongs to the Igbos based on the historical and customary evidence presented before it. No appeal was filed against the judgement, making it final.
The late Elechi Amadi was later confronted with the WACA judgement by counsel for Ohanaeze Ndigbo in 1994. He acknowledged the judgement and reportedly explained that the Ikwerre people fought the case with the support of their wealthy Igbo kinsmen from East, against the Okrika people. When asked whether the judgement had ever been appealed, his reported answer was "No."
Based on the 1958 WACA judgement, supporters of this position maintain that Port Harcourt is historically and legally an Igbo city, and that the judgement of the superior court has never been set aside or vacated.
