The Reformed All Progressives Congress (R-APC) yesterday dragged the national chairman of All Progressives Congress (APC), Adams Oshiomhole and 53 others before the Federal High Court sitting in Abuja. Plaintiffs in the suit marked FHC/ABJ/ CS/1734/18 are Buba Galadima, Kazeem Afegbua, Barr. Nicholas Asuzu and Alhaji Hadi Ametuo. Defendants in the suit are the members of the APC National Executives, led by Adams Oshiomhole, members of the party’s National Working Committee (NWC), the chairmen of each of 36 states executive council, Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) and APC. The defendants had filed the suit through their counsel, Tolu Babalaye.
The plaintiffs had claimed that they sued for themselves and on behalf of all the other national officers, state chairmen and state executives of APC. The plaintiffs are praying the court for a declaration that having regard to the constitution of APC, particularly Article 20 thereof, the constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, Electoral Act, the election conducted by the party at Eagle Square on June 23, 2018 is invalid, null and void.
They also want the court to declare that being no valid election at the National Convention of APC, thereby leaving a vacuum, the reform-minded faction of APC known as the Reformed All Progressives Congress validly consttuted the plaintiffs and the other national officers and state executives of APC to fill the vacuum and act in the interim capacities as officers of the APC.
They, therefore, prayed the court for an order of perpetual injunction restraining 1st to 52nd defendants from parading themselves or claiming to be officers of APC or performing any discussion as officers of the party in any capacity whatsoever as their elections and swearing-in as officers of APC is invalid, null and void. In addition, the Galadima- led group wants the court to grant an order of perpetual injunction restraining APC from recognising the Oshiomhole-led executive council and all the state executive council as either national officers, members of the NWC, zonal executives and state executives of the APC.
They also want an order of perpetual injunction restraining APC from harassing, intimidating, suspending or expelling any of, or all the plaintiffs from the APC, or taking any steps whatsoever to terminate the membership, rights and entitlements in the APC.
The plaintiffs also pray for an order of perpetual injunction restraining INEC from recognizing or accepting the defendants as either national officers, members of NWC, zonal executives or state executives of the APC. In addition, the plaintiffs are praying the court to grant an order directing INEC to recognize the plaintiffs who are members of the reform-minded faction of APC as current interim NWC, zonal executives or state executives of the APC and accord them all rights and privileges appertaining to the respective office pending the holding of valid elections by the party.
In their statement of claim, the plaintiffs claimed that the APC is harbouring intractable divisions and the party is awaiting a massive implosion and might collapse finally unless steps are taken by reform-minded members to address the issues.
They also claimed that the situation got out of hand as the congresses recently conducted by the APC at the ward, local government and state levels, culminating in the purported NWC of the party, held on June 23, 2018. In addition, they claimed that APC has become factionalized and this is no longer a secret as the crisis tearing the party to pieces at the national and sub-national levels are in public domain.
They added that the manner in which the national convention of the party was conducted has deepened the division within the party and exacerbated the leadership crisis from wards to the national level all over the country. They further added that most members of the party feel alienated and this has resulted in open and massive divisions, factionalization, and disenchantment within the rank and file of the party. No date has been fixed for the hearing of the matter.