ABUJA – Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Prof. Mahmood Yakubu, has officially confirmed, affirmed and recognized Chief Edozie Njoku, as the National Chairman of the All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA).
At a resumed sitting on Wednesday, Prof Yakubu told Justice Mohammed Madugu of High Court of the Federal Capital Territory sitting in Bwari, that the decision of the Commission to accord Chief Njoku, recognition was in obedience to the court’s order, which had declared Chief Njoku, as the National Chairman of APGA.
Speaking through his lawyer, Ahmed Mohammed, the INEC Chairman told the court that the decision was to purge himself of the committal order placed on him by the court.
Justice Madugu, had on the 9th of November 2023, delivered judgement on the committal proceedings brought against the purported erstwhile chairman of APGA, Chief Victor Oye (1st respondent), and Chairman of INEC, Prof Yakubu (2nd respondent), for disobeying a valid order of the High Court made on May 10, 2023.
The court had found Oye and Yakubu, in contempt of the order made on May 10, 2023.
The contempt charge arose from a suit by two national officers of APGA, Otumba Camaru Ogidan and Alhaji Rabiu Mustapha, who had approached an FCT High Court, Bwari, to enforce a judgement of the Supreme Court in respect of the leadership tussle rocking APGA.
After Michael Ajara, counsel for Plaintiff/Applicants had told the court the latest development, the INEC lawyer, Ahmed Mohammed confirmed the situation of things at the Commission.
“My Lord, on behalf of the 2nd respondent, upon being served with the certified true copy of the Court of Appeal judgment, delivered on June 28, 2024; same was forwarded to the Chairman, and the Commission sat on July 9, and deliberated on the two judgements.
“The Commission came out with a decision extract in compliance with the two judgments of the Court of Appeal, and which we undertake in court to serve all the parties that the commission has fully complied with the judgments; And has restored the name of the 2nd plaintiff/applicant in its website as National Chairman of APGA” the INEC lawyer told the court.
Mohammed also made an undertaking before Justice Madugu that he would file the meeting extract where the decision recognizing and putting Chief Edozie Njoku’s name on INEC’s website was made.
Earlier, Ajara had informed the court that the matter was fixed for sentencing of Victor Oye, having not taken any step to purge himself of contempt of court.
However, Justice Madugu could not proceed with the sentencing due to a motion filed by Oye’s lawyer, Victor Agunzi, which he served on Ajara in court.
Agunzi told the court that Oye has filed a motion for stay of the appeal court judgment as well as entered an appeal at the Supreme Court.
“What we filed at the Court of Appeal is a motion for stay of judgment of June 28,
and what we filed here in this court is that in view of the appeal at the Supreme Court, and motion for stay, my lord should stay further proceedings” Oye’s lawyer submitted.
Consequently, Justice Madugu had to adjourn to October 28, for hearing of the motion.
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