The recent court judgement have thrown the Imo State Chapter of the All Progressive Congress (APC) into serious confusion leaders of the party put the record straight.
In a release signed by …. State Publicity Secretary of the APC, Imo State, Onwuasoanya FCC Jones reads thus:
“On Thursday 16th July, 2020, the FCT High Court sitting in Bwari, Abuja and presided over by Justice O.A Musa ruled on a motion brought before it by some individuals purporting to act on behalf of the national leadership of our Party, but, who in reality do not have the authorization of our Party to make such applications to the Court.
“Fundamentally, the Court dismissed the motion which sought for a Stay of Execution/Enforcement of a judgement of the same Court, which was delivered on the 14th of August, 2018. The judgement barred the All Progressives Congress, Adams Oshiomhole, who was at the time, the National Chairman of the Party and their agents from tampering with or interfering with the legitimately conferred tenure of elected executives of the APC in Imo State led by Mr. Daniel Nwafor.
“Following some deliberate misinterpretation of this judgement and selective reportage of Honorable Justice O.A Musa’s judgement by the well-known blackmailers and undertakers of the Nigerian judiciary and their agents, we wish to further make the following clarifications;
“Following the directive by President Muhammadu Buhari and the National Executive Committee of our Party instructing all members of the Party to withdraw all litigations against the Party and its members, it is regrettable that some persons, purporting to be members and even leaders of the Party could defy and even dare the President and the NEC by instituting or continuing a litigation against the Party.
“Let it be noted, that the case in question was not instituted by any member of any of the organs of the only legitimate and authentic leadership of the Party in Imo State, but by the sacked national chairman of our Party, Comrade Adams Oshiomhole and his lackeys.
“Once a judge has given a judgement on a matter, he becomes functus officio, and he is not expected to sit in judgement on the same matter. Therefore, while we are beneficiaries of Justice Musa’s dismissal of the mischievous application by some agents of the sacked national chairman of our Party and his lackeys in Imo State, we regret that some elements, known for their abusive relationship with the judiciary, would continue to bring our hallowed judiciary to ridicule through frivolous applications and motions.
“Justice O.A Musa only read paragraphs 1 and 3 of the order under reference in open Court, and it is surprising how the contentious second paragraph where he presumably restrained the State Chairman of the Party, Mr. Daniel Nwafor, from ENFORCING the judgement of 14-08-2018 in suit Number; FCT/HC/BW/CV/103/2018 which among other things, forbade the All Progressives Congress and its then national chairman from tampering with the Constitutionally guaranteed tenure of office of all elected Party Exco led by Mr Daniel Nwafor, found its way into the judgement.
“That the restraining order is in error, as the judgement has already been enforced. This ‘magic paragraph’ in the 16th July, 2020 order of Justice O.A Musa has therefore been overtaken, not by circumstances, but by realities and time, as the judgement has already been enforced since the very day it was given. If there is any group who needs to be restrained and even penalized for their disobedience to Court orders, it is Barrister Malcolm Nlemigbo and his gang of PDP stragglers, whose clear agendum it is to continue to distract the Party from meeting its responsibilities to its members in the State.
“That a press conference being organized by Barrister Malcolm Nlemigbo and his associates at our Party’s Governorship Campaign Office located along Okigwe Road in Owerri tomorrow, is without the authorization of the Party’s leadership and anyone who purports to speak on behalf of the Party at the said press conference is an impostor and should be regarded as such.
“We urge all members of our Party in the State, to please, stay loyal, focused and progressive as we continue on the march to strengthen and heal our Party.”
