Setback for Sep 7 APC convention, court restrains Buni-caretaker committee

A high court in Asaba, Delta State, has restrained Yobe State Governor, Mai Mala Buni, and other members of the All Progressives Congress (APC) from parading themselves as members of the party’s national caretaker committee.

The presiding judge, Onome Marshal Umukoro, gave the order on Wednesday and put on hold the APC local government congress scheduled for September 4 in Delta state.

Delta APC deputy chairman, Elvis Ayomanor,  had led other officials of the Delta APC to court following the July 10, 2021 controverted ward congress, which many members of the party claimed was hijacked by certain elements within the party in the state.

In the motion ex parte, the claimants/applicants through their lawyer, Daubry Ebipade Richard, prayed the court to grant the seven-point reliefs sought on the grounds that going ahead with the local government congress in the state will cause more damage.

They sought “an order of interim injunction of this honourable court restraining the 2nd to 14th defendants/respondents from further acting or parading themselves as the members of the caretaker/ extraordinary convention planning committee (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 honourable court restraining the 2nd-14th defendants/respondents from conducting the local government 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 honourable court restraining the 2nd to 14th defendants/respondents from further acting or parading themselves as the members of the caretaker/extraordinary convention planning committee (CECPC) of the 1st defendant pending the hearing and determination of the motion on notice already filed and served in the suit.”

In his ruling, the judge granted seven days order of interim injunction restraining Buni and the CECPC from conducting the local government and state congresses in Delta state and from parading themselves as members of the national caretaker committee of the party, pending the hearing and determination of the suit.

Umukoro also ordered that Buni and others at the national leadership be served originating summons “by means, to wit, by serving same on any officer or staff of the All Progressives Congress, at the All Progressives Congress national secretariat at No. 40 Blantyre Street, Wuse, Abuja, and deeming such service in the circumstances of this case.”

He also granted leave to the claimants/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 All Progressives Congress at the All Progressives Congress Delta state secretariat, Asaba, Delta State and deeming such service proper in the circumstances of this case.”

The suit was adjourned till September 7 for hearing.