The governing All Progressives Congress (APC) is facing severe divisions among its leadership and members as the FCT High Court prepares to rule on a motion to lift an injunction prohibiting the party from conducting its convention on March 26.
According to Anaedoonline.ng, an injunction prohibiting the party from conducting its convention was issued, prompting certain governors to attempt to replace the party’s leadership.
The temporary committee managed by Tone state Governor Mai Mala Bunk, however, did not inform the party leaders of the order.
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The plea to overturn the court’s November 18, 2021 judgment prohibiting the convention was halted on Tuesday after two APC attorneys, Shuaibu Aruwan (SAN) and Michael Adoyi, both declared attendance.
Aruwan informed the court at the resumed hearing on Thursday that he had received a letter from the APC naming him as the real counsel in the case, as the court had directed.
He then sought to have the prior order of the court set aside due to a lack of jurisdiction.
The APC requested “an order of this honourable court dismissing out the claim in its entirety for lack of jurisdiction” in an application dated March 9, 2022.
“And for any additional order(s) the honourable court deems appropriate in the circumstances.”
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However, Mike Enahoro-Eba, lawyer for claimant Hon. Salisu Umoru, objected to the hearing starting since the rules allow the respondents seven days to react to the application for setting aside.
He explained that the matter of defense counsel had only recently been settled, and that they would require time to combine concerns with the court’s outstanding petitions.
The issue has been rescheduled until Friday, March 18 by Justice Bello Kawu (today).
The ruling came after an appeal by Hon. Salisu Umoru, an aggrieved member of the APC, to stop the APC, Governor Buni, and the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) from holding any convention until the dispute was resolved.
He also asked for a “interlocutory injunction prohibiting the 1st and 2nd defendants/respondents (APC and Governor Buni), their allies, agents, representatives, associates, or whoever is acting for them or through them from organizing, holding, or conducting the APC’s national convention in January and February 2022 or any other date either before or after pending the hearing and determination of the substantive suit,” according to the complaint.
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Governor Buni returned to work at the APC secretariat on Thursday following a 17-day trip overseas for treatment, according to reports.
In his absence, Abubakar Sani Bello, the Governor of Niger State, took over. At the Yobe Governor’s Lodge in Abuja, Bello and Kogi State Governor, Yahaya Bello, as well as other members of the party, paid Buni a solidarity visit.
Buni stated before the meeting that the committee was nearing the end of its preparations for the party’s national convention.
“You know, the party hasn’t stopped since I left,” Buni said. His Excellency has done an excellent job of handling the party’s affairs.
“We’ve come to talk about the challenges we’ll be dealing with in the future.” We are nearing the end of our preparations for our national convention, which will take place on March 26.
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“We are putting heads together to achieve this task ahead. I want to emphasise that the March 26 national convention is sacrosanct.”
On the absence of the embattled Secretary of the Caretaker Committee, Senator John James Akpanudoedehe at the meeting, Buni said; “You know that this is not a formal meeting of the committee.
“These members of the CECPC just came to welcome me back to the country and wish me well after returning from a medical trip outside the country.
“So, it is not a formal meeting that one will ask whether the secretary is here or not. However, he was in the house earlier today.”
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