Says their emergence offends Article 9. 1(ll) of APC Constitution. As Oshiohmole fumes over litigation
Amidst unprecedented confusion and crisis, the Kogi state chapter of the All Progressives Congress appears to be in for a litigation that may consume the entire structure of the party in the state. This is as a result of a fresh originating summons filed by three APC members, Ojo Seyi A, Owopo Gabriel and Olufemi Olupa suing for themselves and on behalf of the authentic members of the Kogi state APC registered prior to the 2015 general election.
These members who filed an originating summons before the Abuja Division of the Federal High Court are asking among others.
1. Whether in the light of Article 2 and Article 9.1(ll) of the constitution of the All Progressives Congress, the purported membership registration sponsored and conducted by Governor YAHAYA BELLO and cronies and their agents in Lokoja without the participation or knowledge of the Ward, LGA and State organ of the party is legally valid and can validly produce authentic members.
2. Whether the Governor of Kogi state and his cronies who are neither elected party officials nor recorgnized by any section of the constitution as having the power to register or admit members into the party or conduct membership registration and use such members to conduct the election of ward, LGA and state executives of the party in view of Article 2 and 9.1(ll) of the APC Constitution.
3. Whether the Governor and his cronies can exclude and prevent the authentic members from participating in party affairs generally including nomination and voting for party executives and candidates of their choice during the 2019 election.
The plaintiffs however are requesting the following orders
1. A declaration that the fresh membership registration sponsored and solely conducted by Governor YAHAYA BELLO and his agents sometimes in April 2017 without the knowledge and participation of the existing ward, LGA and state organs is null and void and of no effect whatsoever.
2. A declaration that the state, LGA and Ward executives led by Abdullahi Bello and the list of members handpicked and registered solely by the Governor and his cronies was done in violation of Article 2 and 9.1(ll) and Article 20 of the APC Constitution and the fundamental human rights of the authentic members of the party.
3. A declaration that the election and of the state, LGA and Ward executives with the list illegally registered and inauthentic members of the Kogi APC is null and void and of no effort whatsoever.
4. A declaration that the nomination and election of the current members of the Kogi State House of Assembly, and National Assembly elected on the platform of APC in Kogi state in 2019 general election is illegal, null and void and of no effect whatsoever.
5. A perpetual injunction restraining illegal Abdullahi Bello led Excos from parading themselves as executives of the party in Kogi state.
6. A perpetual injunction restraining APC National from recognizing the Abdullahi Bello led Excos.
7. An order directing INEC to withdraw the CERTIFICATES OF RETURN issued to all the elected members of Kogi state House of Assembly and National Assembly elected on the platform of APC Kogi state chapter in the 2019 general election as their nomination and subsequent election failed to comply with the requirements of the constitution and stated articles of APC.
8. An order of court restraining INEC from recognizing, relying or using any name that will be forwarded to it by the APC that emanates from the Abdullahi Bello led Excos as governorship candidate of APC for the forthcoming Kogi state election.
Feelers from the national secretariat of APC suggests that there is palpable tension within the hierarchy of the party. The information suggests that the National Legal Adviser has advised the party to thread carefully to avert a Zamfara experience. He was quoted as saying that the party will do everything possible to settle the matter out of court, sensing the danger of losing twenty five (25) state Assembly members and nine(9) national assembly members in a swop.
The National Chairman as at the time of this report was said to be threatening to deal with members that might cause such huge loss to the party.
The Petitioners in the suit with file number FHC/ABJ/CS/923/18 have also filed for an order of court for a hearing of the matter by a vacation judge given the relevance of the matter to the forthcoming governorship primary election.