Court stops APC LGA Congress in Delta, Sacks Buni as caretaker chairman

Following the crisis rocking the All Progressives Congress, APC, Delta State High Court, sitting in Asaba, on Wednesday had stopped Governor Mai Mala Buni of Yobe State and other members from acting or parading themselves as thr party’s Caretaker/ Extraordinary Convention Planning Committee, CECPC, members until the determination of a substantive suit before the court.

The court presided by Justice Onome Umukoro also stopped the scheduled APC local government congress in Delta State slated for September 4, 2021.

Congress recalled that the APC State Deputy Chairman, Olorogun Elvis Ayomanor and other officials of the Delta APC had dragged the party to court, challenging the outcome of the Ward Congress in the state.

The aggrieved members of the party in an ex-parte application, through their lead counsel, Mr Daubry Richard, prayed the court to grant the seven- point reliefs sought, stressing that going ahead with the September 4, Local Government Congress in Delta State, would cause more damage to his clients.

A leading relief sought by the applicants were; “An order of interim injunction of this court restraining the 2nd to 14th defendants/respondents from further acting or parading themselves as the members of the CECPC of the 1st defendant pending the hearing and determination of the motion on notice already filed and served in the suit.

”Alternatively, an order of interim injunction of this court restraining the 2nd – 14th defendants/respondents from conducting the LG and State Congresses slated for September 4, 2021, or any other date, and other congresses of the 1st defendant in Delta State, pending the hearing and determination of the Motion on Notice already filed and served.

”An order of interim injunction of this court restraining the 2nd to 14th defendants/respondents from further acting or parading themselves as the members of the CECPC of the 1st defendant pending the hearing and determination of the motion on notice already filed and served in the suit.”

Lead counsel to the defendants/respondents, Robert Emukpoeruo, SAN, had initially challenged the jurisdiction of the court to entertain the suit but later sought that certain parties be joined as co-defendants/respondents.

But counsel to the applicants, Mr Richard, informed the SAN of the fact that the matter before the court was an ex-parte motion, which does not require parties consideration.

In his ruling, Justice Umukoro granted seven days order of interim injunction restraining Buni and the CECPC from conducting the LG and State Congresses slated for September 4, 2021, or any other date, and other Congresses of the APC in Delta State, or parading as National Caretaker Committee of the party, pending the hearing and determination of the motion on notice already filed and served.

Trial judge also ordered that Buni and others at the national leadership of the party be served the originating summons “by means to wit by serving same on any officer or staff of the APC at the APC National Secretariat on 40, Blantyre Street, Wuse, Abuja and deeming such service in the circumstances of this case.

He also granted a leave to the applicants to serve the originating summons and all other processes in this suit on the 15th defendants/respondents by substituted means to wit by serving same on any officer or staff of the Delta State Chapter of the APC at the APC Delta State Secretariat, Asaba, Delta State and deeming such service proper in the circumstances of this case.

The matter was adjourned till September 7, 2021 for further hearing.