11th March, 2022
No fewer than 208 court cases are threatening to derail the 26 March national convention of the All Progressives Congress.
Some of the cases challenge the leadership of the party in various states and the legitimacy of the Caretaker/Extraordinary Convention Planning Committee.
The cases, among others, are seeking a declaration nullifying all state congresses under the leadership of the CECPC, are threatening the party’s national convention scheduled for March 26.
Yobe State Governor Mai Mala Buni became the CECPC Chairman on 25 June 2020, at a meeting presided over by the President Muhammadu Buhari.
The party had asked all members with pending court cases to withdraw them.
It went ahead to expel the former APC National Vice Chairman (South-South), Hilliard Eta, for going to court to challenge the dissolution of the Adams Oshiomhole-led National Working Committee.
A document obtained by The PUNCH on Thursday, however, showed that in the last one year, 208 cases had been instituted against the APC.
In some of the cases, litigants had obtained court injunctions restraining the party from conducting its convention or recognising the leadership of some states.
One of such cases is the one filed by Mr Salisu Umoru against the APC, the Independent National Electoral Commission and Governor Buni.
In the case marked FCT/HC/CV/2958/2021, the applicant obtained an interlocutory injunction “restraining the 1st and 2nd defendants/respondents, their allies, agents, representatives, associates or whoever is acting for them or through them from organising, holding or conducting the national convention of the APC in January and February, 2022 or at any other date either before or after pending the hearing and determination of the substantive suit.”
In another case instituted by Christian Abeh against the APC, the applicant in the suit marked FHC/ASB/CS/59/2021 challenged the appointment of Buni and averred that by virtue of section 183 of the 1999 constitution the chairman being the Yobe State Governor, “cannot validly be appointed as the Chairman of the Caretaker Committee.”
The plaintiff is seeking a declaration amongst others, that all decisions and actions taken by the chairman are null and void and of no effect.