AN aggrieved member of the All Progressives Congress, Okosisi Ngwu, has approached the High Court of the Federal Capital Territory, seeking the dissolution of the Governor Mai Mala Buni-led Caretaker/Extraordinary National Convention Planning Committee, as we as the nullification of all the actions taken by the committee.
In the suit marked HC/CV/1824/2021, the claimant prayed the court to dissolve the committee stating that there was no such organ in the party’s constitution.
Joined as defendants in the suit are the APC and all the members of the committee, including Mai Mala Buni, Isiaka Oyetola, Ken Nnamani, Stella Okorete, Governor Sani Bello, James Lalu, Abubakar Yusuf, Akenyemi Olaide, David Leon, Abba Ali, Tahir Mamman, Ismali Ahmed, and John AkpanUdoedehe.
The claimant is praying the court to determine, among others, “whether there is any organ of the APC known as CECPC created in or by the constitution of the party.
“Whether the organisation known and called caretaker/extraordinary planning committee is one of the organs created by Article 11 of the constitution of the political party known and called the APC.
“Whether pursuant to section 87(4) (b) (1) of the Electoral Act (as amended) any other organ of a political party can validly appoint a date for the holding of a congress for the purpose of nominating the governorship candidate of the political party Including the APC apart from the National Executive Committee of the party.”
Consequently, Ngwu is praying the court to declare only the National Executive Committee of a political party that could appoint the date for primaries for the nomination of the governorship and other candidates of the political party.
He is also praying the court to declare that “unless an election is conducted in accordance with the Electoral Act and by an organ known to and created by the constitution of the APC, no valid candidate can emerge from such a primary.”