The Court of Appeal in Abuja, on Thursday, April7, ordered that status quo be maintained in the Akwa Ibom State All Progressives Congress (APC) executive.
The executive mebers were elected on October 16, 2021 and inaugurated by the APC National Caretaker Committee, until the determination of the motions for jurisdiction and stay of execution, which comes up on May 17, 2022.
Augustine Ekanem emerged as the Akwa Ibom State APC Chairman alongside other state executives, following nationwide state congresses conducted by the APC.
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APC in Akwa Ibom has been embroiled in a lingering battle between the former National Secretary of APC Caretaker Committee, Senator John James Akpanudoedehe and the Minister of Niger Delta Affairs, Senator Godswill Akpabio.
How Court sacked Akwa Ibom APC
Recall that Federal High Court, Abuja, Thursday, March 17, ordered the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to return Stephen Ntukekpo as state chairman of Akwa Ibom chapter of the APC.
In a judgment delivered by Justice Taiwo Taiwo, the court sacked the Augustine Ekanem-led Executive Committee Officers (EXCO) of APC, directing INEC to withdraw the Certificate of Return issued to them.
Justice Taiwo held that the inauguration of the Augustine Ekanem-led state EXCO of the party was an act of illegality.
The judge equally ordered the electoral body to issue a Certificate of Return to Uduakobong Peter Udoh and Uko Obonodo Ini as the state’s secretary and woman leader of the party respectively.
He made the declaratory orders while delivering judgment in the suit brought against the party, members of the National Caretaker Committee and INEC.
The suit marked: FHC/ABJ/CS/635/2021 was filed by Stephen Ntukepo, Uduakobong Udoh and Uko Obonodo Ini.
They listed the APC, Governor Mai Mala Buni who was National Chairman Caretaker/Extra ordinary Convention Planning Committee of APC); John Akpanudoedehe, former Secretary caretaker/Extra ordinary conventional planning committee of the APC) and the INEC as 1st to 4th defendants respectively.
Justice Taiwo declared the plaintiffs as the dully and democratically elected State Executive Committee Officers (EXCO) of the party in Akwa Ibom.
The court agreed with the submission of counsel to the plaintiffs, Umeh Kalu, SAN.
The Justice who cited the provisions of Section 223(1) (a) of the 1999 Constitution, Section 85 (3) of the Electoral Act 2010, Article 20 of the APC Constitution and the guidelines for the conduct of the APC state, averred that the defendants could not refuse to recognise the plaintiffs who were duly elected at the APC Akwa Ibom congress which held in Uyo, Akwa Ibom state on October 16, 2021, as members of the state’s Executive Committee of APC.
