Crisis Looms In APC As Court Gives Conflicting Orders

The crisis in the ruling All Progressives Congress is on the rise after the Federal High Court, Lagos halted the proposed meeting of the National Executive Council (NEC) of the party slated for March 17.

Recall that Justice Samira Bature of the Federal High Court, FCT, on Wednesday restrained the National Secretary of the party, Waziri Bulama, the party legal adviser, Babatunde Ogala, and publicity secretary, Lanre Issa-Onilu from disrupting the proposed meeting.

However, the Federal High Court in Lagos granted an interim injunction restraining the party from giving effect to the meeting issued by Victor Giadom, who purportedly convened an emergency meeting of NEC.

Justice Mohammed Liman in his ruling ordered that the meeting scheduled for next week must not hold without the presence of the former Governor of Oyo State, Abiola Ajimobi, Waziri Bulama, and Paul Chukwuma, at the meeting.

The court had restrained the APC and its officials from, “disturbing, preventing or obstructing Waziri Bulama, Senator Abiola Ajimobi, and Paul Chukwuma, from carrying out their duties as acting National Secretary, acting National Deputy Chairman (South) and acting National Auditor of the APC, respectively.”

Justice Liman pass this judgement following a suit filed by the chairman of the party in Lagos State,
Tunde Balogun, who was represented by his lawyer, Gani Bello.

Balogun, in the application, prayed the court to compel the APC to recognise Bulama as the party’s acting National Secretary; Ajimobi, as the acting National Deputy Chairman (South); and Chukwuma, as the acting National Auditor of the party.

He told revealed that following the vacancy of the office, the positions were zoned as Bulama was nominated by the North-East; Ajimobi, by the South-West; and Chukwuma, by the South-East.

The petitioner said the nomination of Bulama, was ratified at the meeting of the APC National Working Committee held on January 14; while those of Ajimobi, and Chukwuma, were ratified at the NWC meeting of March 4.

He told the court that the APC National Executive Council could not effectively function unless Bulama, Ajimobi, and Chukwuma, were allowed to perform their duties. He, therefore, urged the court to compel the APC to recognise the trio.

Justice Liman after the argument granted the prayers and adjourned till March 25, 2020, to entertain the plaintiff’s Motion on Notice.