By Izunna Okafor, Awka
The Chairman of the All Progressive Congress, APC, in Anambra State, Chief Basil Ejidike has stated that they will head to the Appeal Court over the nullification of the party’s recent congresses in the state by court.
It would be recalled that Anambra State High Court sitting in Awka, on Wednesday, nullified the wards, local government and state congresses held by the state’s APC in January 2022, which produced wards and local government chairmen of the Party in the state and Chief Basil Ejidike, loyal to Senator Andy Uba, as the state Chairman.
Recall also that Senator Uba and the Minister of Labour and Employment, Senator Dr Chris Ngige, had been in loggerhead over the leadership of the party in the state.
Delivering the judgement in the matter brought before him, Justice Ike Ogu of High Court 4 Awka, ruled that the exercise contravened initial Interlocutory Injunction earlier issued by his court.
Justice Ogu, whose judgment on the suit filed by one Lawrence Emegini and others, ruled that the plaintiff’s case succeeded.
The court stated that the tenure of the wards, local government areas and state executives of the party elected during 2018 congresses in Anambra subsists.
He noted that whatever congress conducted by APC and its representatives in the state while the tenure of the 2018 elected executives has not ended, contravened the order of the court.
He further stated that Emeka Ibe-led executives should be allowed to complete their tenure which was illegally terminated.
In his reaction, secretary of APC in the faction loyal to Ibe, Mr Chukwuma Agupugo, who described the judgment as victory for the rule of law, revealed that some people had wanted to disorganise the party by trying to hijack its leadership through the back, and thanked God that court has liberated the party.
Patrick Ikwueto (SAN) counsel to the plaintiff said that his clients have been vindicated by the decision of the court.
Reacting to the judgement in a telephone interview, Chief Ejidike described it as judgement of court of first instance, which is appealable.
“We had congresses, and I was duly inaugurated among other Chairmen, which you yourself know; and you know that this is entirely a party affair. So, if anybody is saying that there was no election or whatever, then we will go to Appeal and file Stay of Execution. And after Appeal, the other faction or myself may decide to go to the Supreme Court,” Chief Ejidike said.
“But all this, does it stop the flow of the party and the party affairs? Of course no. So, judgement or no judgement, the party affairs still go on,” he added.
Chief Ejidike, who said he is currently in Abuja for necessary meetings and other relevant engagements ahead of the party’s National Convention slated for next month, urged his supporters to remain calm, loyal and law-abiding, and to also discharge their assigned roles within the party, as the judgement has nothing to do with the running of the party.
While linking Dr. Chris Ngige to the unsatisfactory judgement by the State High Court, he expressed gladness that the matter will now go into federal authority hand.
“The judge, according to them, was appointed by Ngige. So, they just did things in their own way there. But I’m happy the matter has gone out of his hand, it will now go into federal authority hand,” Ejidike said.
The APC stalwart alleged that the counsel to the plaintiff, Patrick Ikwueto (SAN) is APGA lawyer and personal lawyer to the Governor-elect of Anambra State, Prof. Chukwuma Soludo, who has now taken over APC matter.
“Ikwueto is a personal lawyer to Soludo and lawyer to APGA. He has now taken over APC matter; and even as I am talking to you now, he has filed another case on behalf of APC members,” he said.
“Ngige and co have sold their something to APGA. What you’re seeing there is the hand of APGA. So APGA has taken over their affairs. But it is just a question of time, they will all fail,” he concluded.
