BREAKING: Fresh crisis hits APC as court sacks Yobe Governor, Mala Buni 

The APC LGA Congress in Delta has been halted by the court, which has also barred Governor Mala Buni and others from acting as Caretaker Committee members.

A High Court sitting in Asaba on Tuesday halted the APC Local Government Congress in Delta State, which was set to take place on October 4, 2021.

The court, presided over by Justice Onome Marshal Umukoro, also barred Yobe State Governor Mai Mala Buni and other members from acting or parading as the All Progressives Congress (APC) National Caretaker Committee until a substantive suit before the court is resolved.

The APC Deputy Chairman, Olorogun Elvis Ayomanor, and other Delta APC officials had approached the Court shortly after the tumultuous Ward Congress on July 10, which was widely regarded as hijacked in Delta State.

In the Claimants/Applicants’ ex-parte motion, lead counsel Barr. Daubry Ebipade Richard urged the Court to grant the 7-point reliefs sought, claiming that holding the LGA Congress on Saturday, September 4 in Delta State would cause more harm to his clients. 

The Claimants/Applicants sought a variety of reliefs, the most important of which was “An interim injunction issued by this Honourable Court prohibiting the 2nd – 14th Defendants/Respondents from acting or parading themselves as members of the 1st Defendant’s Caretaker/Extraordinary Convention Planning Committee (CECPC) pending the hearing and determination of the Motion on Notice already filed and served in the suit. 

Robert Emukpoeruo, SAN, the lead counsel for the Defendants/Respondents, had initially challenged the Court’s jurisdiction to hear the case, but later requested that certain parties be added as co-Defendants/Respondents. However, Barr Richard, counsel for the Claimants/Applicants, reminded the learned silk that the matter before the court was an ex-parte motion, which does not require the parties to consider it. In a brief ruling, Justice Umukoro granted a 7-day order of interim injunction prohibiting Gov. Buni and the CECPC from holding the Local Government and State Congresses scheduled for September 4, 2021 or any other date, as well as other APC Congresses in Delta State, or acting as the party’s National Caretaker Committee, pending the hearing and determination of the Motion on Notice filed earlier. 

Justice Umukoro also ordered that Gov. Buni and other members of the National Leadership be served “by serving it on any officer or staff member of the All Progressives Congress at the National Secretariat of the All Progressives Congress, No. 40 Blantyre Street, Wuse, Abuja, and deeming such service in the circumstances of this case; While also” granting Leave to the Claimants/Applicants to serve the Originating Simmons 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 lawsuit’s hearing has been rescheduled for September 7, 2021. 

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