The Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC has warned those making posters and statements about the commission not recognizing Edozie Njoku as national chairman of the All Progressives Grand Alliance APGA to desist from it.
INEC in a statement signed by the national commissioner and chairman, of the information and voter education committee, Festus Okoye called the action as cheap blackmail.
The commission frowns at the posters and statements being circulated by what it called an “amorphous” group accusing it of refusal to obey the judgement of the Supreme Court purportedly recognizing one Chief Edozie Njoku “as the authentic National Chairman of APGA”
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INEC said the actions are only targeted at hoodwinking those not abreast of the details of the case.
” We wish to state that the issues in question are about facts, the law and due process and not amenable to hysteria and appeal to sentiments.” The commission explained.
INEC said: “It is noteworthy that the suit in question started from the Jigawa State High Court, initiated by one Alhaji Rabiu Garba Aliyu against Chief Jude Okeke and three others. Chief Edozie Njoku was not a party to the suit. One of the reliefs sought is a “Declaration that the national officers of the All Progressives Grand Alliance, including the Plaintiff, who were elected at its national convention held in Owerri, Imo State on 31st May 2019 shall remain in office and discharge their respective duties for a term of four years commencing from 31st May 2021.
On 30th June 2021, the Jigawa State High Court in suit No: JDU/022/2021 entered judgement in favour of the said Alhaji Rabiu Garba Aliyu. On appeal, the Court of Appeals described the suit as an abuse of court process. “Consequently, the entire proceedings of the Jigawa State High Court in suit No. JDU/022/2021, delivered by Musa Ubale on 30th June 2021 and the judgement delivered thereon are accordingly set aside”. The Supreme Court in its judgement of 14th October 2021 affirmed the decision of the Court of Appeal.
However, on 27th January 2023, Chief Edozie Njoku, who was never a party to any of the suits and the processes filed in the various courts approached the Supreme Court of Nigeria as an interested person/applicant and filed a Motion on Notice seeking for an order of the Court to correct “typographical errors and accidental slip” in the lead judgement of the Supreme Court. This was granted and the correction did not in any way affect the substance of the suit and the orders made by the Supreme Court. “
(Editor: Ena Agbanoma)
