The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) Chairman, Prof. Mahmood Yakubu, and APGA Chairman, Victor Oye, are the targets of committal charges from the section of the All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA) led by Edozie Njoku for disobeying a court order.
According to news sources, the Federal Capital Territory High Court in Bwari received the committal accusations.
The committal proceeding (Form 49) was derived from a motion on notice filed by Camaru Lateef Ogidan, the factional national vice chairman of the APGA’s South West geopolitical zone, and Alhaji Rabiu Mustapha, the factional national welfare officer of the APGA, both members of the APGA National Working Committee (NWC) under the direction of Edozie Njoku, against Victor Ike Oye and the INEC.
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The Form 49, dated June 2, 2023, which was served on INEC and Oye specifically ordered them to appear in court to show cause why an order of committal to prison should not be imposed against them for disobeying a restraining order issued by the court on May 10, 2023.
On May 10, Justice Mohammed Madugu of the FCT High Court, Bwari, issued an order directing the parties to the lawsuit to maintain the status quo ante bellum until the notice of preliminary objection from the first defendant/applicant, which was submitted on May 9, 2023, is heard.
“For the avoidance of doubt and for the purpose of clarity, parties herein, whether by themselves, agents, privies, assigns, authorized representatives or whosoever acting on their behalf are restrained from holding the planned congresses, national convention or any other meetings or gatherings in whatever name called of the All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA) pending the hearing of notice of preliminary objection filed on May 9, 2023, by the 1st defendant/applicant”, Justice Madugu ordered.
Despite the court’s legitimate injunction, Chief Oye continued to hold political meetings that culminated in the congresses and APGA national convention held on May 31.
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Lateef Ogidan and Rabiu Mustapha, the two claimants, are APGA officials who work for the Njoku faction.
The Supreme Court properly served INEC with the enrolment order of its ruling on April 5, 2023, according to a statement by Ben Okoro, National Administrative Secretary, APGA.
“However, despite being in reception of the Supreme Court enrolment order, the commission (which has continued to conduct itself poorly, especially since the APGA leadership crisis) refused to recognize Chief Edozie Njoku as the authentic national chairman of APGA as contained in the consequential orders of the court.
“Since April 5, 2023, INEC, under the leadership of Prof. Mahmoud Yakubu, by an act of omission and commission, has shown the world that it has enormous powers; this includes powers to suppress a Supreme Court judgment and appoint a national chairman for any political party, as it so wishes.
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“It is befuddling that a commission which was created by law and funded by taxpayers’ money would be leading a subversive crusade against the constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria,” Okoro stated.
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