The Federal High Court sitting in Jalingo, the capital city of Taraba State has on Tuesday 1, February 2022 nullified the state Congress of the All Progressives Congress APC
The court who expressed dismay at the way and manner the Congress was conducted, directed the party’s executive in the state to, as a matter of urgency, desist from parading themselves as the leaders of the party.
It asked the party to conduct fresh congresses in the state.
In his three-hour ruling, the presiding judge, Simon Amonbita, felt sad that the plaintiff was not allowed to participate in the state Congress which took place in October last year.
Stressing how the party allegedly violated the party’s constitution by not adhering to its guidelines, the Congress, according to him ” is hereby null and void.”
Some aggrieved members dragged the party to the Federal High Court, challenging the state congress.
Among their prayers, the majority of which were granted by the court includes the venue where the Congress was conducted, saying it was contrary to the party’s constitution and guidelines.
The refusal of the leadership of the party to communicate to them the date fixed for the Congress also necessitated their going to the court.
The counsel to the defendants, John Odekina who was not comfortable with the ruling, expressed the readiness of his clients to proceed to the appeal court.
On her part, the counsel to the plaintiff, Joy Ezekiel, who was visibly elated by the rule agreed that the court is indeed the last hope for the common man.
Efforts by our correspondent to get the reaction of the party’s executive, whose position has been declared vacant by the court, proved abortive as none of some of them answered telephone calls put through to them under the leadership of Barrister Ibrahim Tukur El-Sudi.
Sani Sulaiman
