From Godwin Tsa, Abuja
The lingering leadership crisis rocking the All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA) has finally been settled by the Supreme Court which has directed the Independent National Electoral Commission to act and recognize Chief Edozie Njoku, as the National Chairman of the party.
The directive was contained in it’s proof of service of the certified true copy (CTC) of its judgment in respect of the APGA leadership tussle between the party’s National Chairman, Chief Edozie Njoku and Victor Oye, who is also laying claim to the office.
The proof of service dated April 5, 2023, was on a suit marked SC/CV/687/2021, between Chief Jude Okeke and APGA & others, which judgment was delivered by a 5-man panel of Supreme Court Justices on March 24, 2023.
The proof of service of the Supreme Court judgment CTC was recieved by the Litigation and Prosecution department, INEC headquarters, Abuja, on April 5, by 3:54pm.
“I forward herewith for your information and necessary action, the order under the hand of the Honourable, the Chief Justice of Nigeria/Presiding Judge and the seal of the Court in respect of the above appeal.
“I also enclose herewith certified copy of the order and of the judgment of the Court” Zainab Garba, Registrar, Litigation, Supreme Court of Nigeria, stated.
Recall that the Supreme Court had on March 24, 2023, upon an application by Chief Edozie Njoku, regularized and amended the judgment of Justice Mary Peter Odili (rtd), delivered on May 9, 2022.
Njoku’s application followed a letter of the Supreme Court to him on January 19, 2023, wherein the apex court addressed him as the National Chairman of APGA and advised him to approach the Court by way of a motion to correct the slip.
However, in it’s judgment on March 24, the Supreme Court stated, “It is hereby ordered that the Appeal No. SC/CV/686/2021 set out on the face of the Judgment delivered by the Court on 14th October, 2021 is to be corrected and replaced with the Appeal No. SC/CV/687/2021.
“That the name of “Chief Victor Oye” mentioned and set out on page 13 of the Judgment delivered by the Court on the 14th October, 2021 in Appeal No. SC/CV/687/2021 be deleted and replaced with the name “Edozie Njoku” so that the sentence on page 13 would now correctly read: “It needs to be stated at this point that the dispute being who should be the Acting National Chairman of the 1st Respondent, APGA and whether the Chairman, Edozie Njoku was validly replaced are within the confines of the internal affairs of the 1st Respondent which is not Justiciable” the judgment stated.
Meanwhile, addressing newsmen in Abuja, APGA National Chairman, Chief Edozie Njoku, expressed optimism that INEC will heed to the Supreme Court’s directive by effecting the necessary changes on its portals.
“I am confident and optimistic that INEC will obey the Supreme Court Judgment having been served with the CTC.
Contrary to insinuations, Njoku said the party would not be giving the electoral body any ultimatum, adding that, “expectedly, we are looking at one or two weeks time frame for the order to be obeyed.