Maybe, the best information on the town just isn’t the unfolding melodrama on the Presidential Election Petitions Tribunal, Abuja, involving President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, Alhaji Atiku Abubakar, and Mr. Peter Obi, the important thing presidential aspirants within the 2023 basic elections.
Of a fact, the best information yesterday (July 14, 2023) is how the Unbiased Nationwide Electoral Fee (INEC), which has been taking part in the ostrich, within the matter earlier than the FCT Excessive Courtroom 40, Bwari, (Swimsuit No: FCT/HC/CV/4068/2023) during which Otunba Camaru Lateef Ogidan and Mustapha Rabiu (Plaintiffs) took Chief Victor Oye to Courtroom for refusing to obey the Supreme Courtroom judgment by falsely parading himself because the Nationwide Chairman of APGA and INEC for wrongly obliging Victor Oye recognition opposite to the Supreme Courtroom Judgment which ordered that Oye’s title be deleted from something that has to do with APGA, consistent with its Judgment of March 24, 2023.
In April 2022, Mike Ajara, Counsel to the Plaintiffs approached the Courtroom by way of an Ex Parte movement, His Lordship Justice M. A Madugu refused to oblige him and insisted that events be correctly served to make sure they arrive earlier than him for functions of honest listening to and to make sure justice is completed.
On Might 10, 2023, the Courtroom gave an injunctive order restraining Oye (1st Respondent) from parading himself and in addition stopping him, privies, and assigns from holding any assembly or congress or conference within the title of the Get together pending the willpower of the Swimsuit.
Equally, the Courtroom gave an Order restraining INEC (2nd Respondent) from recognizing Victor Oye or partaking in any train that can are likely to recommend that Oye is the Nationwide Chairman of INEC, opposite to the judgment of the Supreme Courtroom.
Opposite to the Orders of the Courtroom, Oye presided over unlawful NWC and NEC conferences within the title of APGA; and as properly carried out congresses and conventions.
On its half, INEC obliged Victor Oye by sending Barr. Festus Okoye, the Nationwide Commissioner in control of Voter Training and Data to watch the unlawful Conference which was held on Might 31, 2023, at Awka.
On June 6, pursuant to Part 287 (1) of the 1999 Structure (as amended) which states that any Courtroom of file can implement the choice of the Supreme Courtroom of Nigeria, Hon. Justice Mohammed Madugu of the FCT Excessive Courtroom 40 Bwari made consequential orders and declaratory judgment for the enforcement of the Supreme Courtroom Judgment stating as follows;
‘The actions of the first Respondent (Chief Victor Oye) posing and parading himself and occupying the Get together’s Secretariat, because the Nationwide Chairman of APGA opposite to the judgment and order of the Supreme Courtroom made on 14th October 2021 and corrected on the twenty-fourth of March, 2023, is in disobedience and in clear violation of the Supreme Courtroom.
Regardless of the above Judgment of the Courtroom, the Fee collected names of governorship candidates for the Imo, Kogi, and Bayelsa States from Oye and printed them. Once more, the Fee went additional to adorn their website with the title of Barr. Sylvester Ezeokenwa because the Nationwide Chairman of APGA.
Worrisomely, these audacious infractions by INEC run foul of the regulation established. INEC as a creation of the regulation is sure to obey Courtroom orders; by so doing, the Fee finds its personal salvation, good points extra confidence from the folks, and attains its organizational targets.
It’s on file that the Courtroom bailiff has made frantic efforts to serve each Victor Oye and Prof. Mahmood Yakubu, the INEC Chairman.
Due to this fact, seeing that Oye and Mahmood have been evading companies, on July 4, 2023, the Courtroom gave a recent order mandating the plaintiffs to serve Oye and Mahmood by all of the Courtroom processes by substituted means on two nationwide dailies.
Diligently, the plaintiffs obeyed and printed the Motions, Affidavits, Written Addresses, Kinds 48 & 49 (for committal to the correctional facility), and Listening to Discover in Guardian, Vanguard, and Management Newspapers.
On July 14, 2024, the adjourned date, Mr. Abdulazeez Sani (SAN), Deputy Director of the Prosecution and Litigation Unit of INEC Authorized Division, rose up and introduced a look for Prof. Mahmood Yakubu, INEC Chairman (2nd Respondent).
He particularly advised the Courtroom that INEC is right here on observatory standing. When the Choose requested him to be express, he advised the Courtroom that the Fee is in Courtroom to abide by no matter resolution the Courtroom will attain.
Curiously, Mr. Abdulazeez’s remark in Courtroom is contradictory.
Merely put, if the Fee is that obedient to Courtroom orders, there was no enterprise disobeying the June 6, 2023 Judgment of the Courtroom.
Clearly, INEC’s vested curiosity within the APGA management matter is what’s the bone of competition earlier than the Courtroom.
Recall that on June 30, 2021, INEC acknowledged Jude Okeke whom the Hon. Justice Musa Ubale of Jigawa Excessive Courtroom declared the Appearing Nationwide Chairman upon the suspension of Chief Edozie Njoku.
When Barr. Victor Agunzi introduced the looks of Victor Oye, he went on to inform the Courtroom that was a petition towards the presiding Choose.
The Courtroom advised him that such a petition can’t cease courtroom proceedings.
Mike Ajara, Counsel to the Plaintiffs rose up and reminded the Courtroom that the enterprise of the day was his utility for the committal of Prof. Mahmood Yakubu and Victor Oye to the correctional facility.
He tendered all of the newspaper publications to again up his proof. Agunzi knowledgeable the Courtroom that his consumer was served by way of his WhatsApp which can’t to deemed to be a private service.
Ajara spoke on the purpose of the regulation, informing the Courtroom that Agunzi refused to be served on behalf of his consumer, thereby derailing the Courtroom from functioning effectively and successfully.
Abdulazeez briefed the Courtroom that the Fee received a service for committal to the correctional facility on Prof. Mahmood Yakubu.
He pleaded with the Courtroom that Ajara’s utility was not ripe.
The Courtroom dominated that the private service on Victor Oye and Prof. Mahmood Yakubu be executed by their Counsels.
The Courtroom adjourned to September 11, 2023. more news
