APGA leadership crisis: Federal High Court re-affirms Victor Oye as authentic chairman

BY CLEMENT NNACHI (ABAKALIKI)

The Federal High Court, Abuja Division,  presided over by Justice Omotosho, on Tuesday dismissed the suit brought by Chief Chekwas Okorie and other persons,  purportedly nominated by Mr Edozie Njoku as All Progressive Congress (APGA) candidates

. In a  Judgment delivered today Tuesday  28th of March 2023, the  Court held that the case constitutes  gross abuse of Court process and a deliberate attempt to mislead the court, by relying on an erroneous interpretation of the Supreme Court judgment.

Recall that Chief Chekwas Okorie and others, had filed the suit claiming to be the duly nominated Presidential and National Assembly candidates of APGA, as purportedly submitted to the Independent National Electoral Commission (NEC) by one Mr Edozie Njoku as National Chairman of the party.

 In the Suit marked as FHC/ABJ/CS/1750/2022, Chief Chekwas Okorie & 2 Ors v Independent National Electoral Commission & 3 Ors, the Plaintiffs therein claimed that following a corrected judgement of the Supreme Court which recognised Mr Edozie Njoku as National Chairman of APGA,  that it was the said Njoku that was legally required to submit the list of APGA candidates.

They therefore prayed the Federal High Court for an Order of Mandatory Injunction, compelling the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC),  to publish their names as candidates of APGA and/or issue them with Certificate of Return in places won by party.

In the ruling, the Court berated  the Plaintiffs’ Counsel for attempting to mislead not just the Court but the entire public by misrepresenting the decision of the Supreme Court.

The Court wondered how the correction of an accidental slip by the Supreme Court in its Ruling of 24/3/2023,  would be interpreted by any sane person to mean that the Supreme Court affirmed Mr Edozie Njoku as the National Chairman of the All Progressive Grand Alliance  (APGA).

 The Justices of the Federal High Court,  warned that lawyers as Ministers in the temple of Justice, must always uphold the truth, and avoid any conduct that is capable of subjecting the Judiciary and the apex court to public ridicule.

The Court stated unequivocally, “the Supreme Court in its judgment of 14/10/2021 affirmed the judgment of the Court of Appeal, Kano Division including the finding that Chief Victor Oye remains the National Chairman of APGA”

 The Court further held that by another Judgment of the Court of Appeal, Abuja Division, Chief Victor Oye, was further affirmed as the National Chairman of APGA.

The Federal High  Court concluded that by the binding judgments of the Supreme Court as well as the Court of Appeal, Kano and Abuja Divisions,  is not in doubt that it is the National Working Committee of APGA, under the leadership of Chief Victor Oye, that are entitled to conduct primaries and submit the list of candidates that emerged therein  to INEC as candidates of the party.

The Court thus dismissed the suit of Chief Chekwas Okorie and others,  for being without merit and awarded punitive cost against the Plaintiffs for wasting the precious time of the Court in instituting the frivolous suit.

In a reaction, the National Chairman of APGA Chief Victor Oye,  stated that the judgment has vindicated his earlier position on the correct interpretation of the Supreme Court judgment.

Chief Oye expressed his confidence in the judiciary and  urged APGA faithfuls to remain steadfast in the affairs of  the party.