Senator Rochas Okorocha’s backed faction of the All Progressive Congress, APC, of Daniel Nwafor, Tuesday, said that they would not agree with the position of the APC caretaker committee/Extra Ordinary convention planning committee, led by the governor of Yobe state, Mallam Mai Mala Buni, affirming Marcellinus Nlemigbo as the authentic APC, leadership in Imo state.
Vanguard gathered in Owerri, that the recent battle for the soul of the APC in the state, was linked to the upcoming October 31 Imo North Senatorial by-election.
This is as Okorocha who is representing Imo west, loyalists are pushing for Senator Ifeanyi Araraume to emerge as the Senatorial candidate of the party, just as other Senatorial aspirants have pledged their loyalty to Nlemigbo’s leadership.
However, Buni said that the APC as a party relied on the ruling of the court issued on the 16 of July 2020 that “after the hearing argument from both counsels, the court on page 9 of its ruling ordered as follows an order is hereby made restraining the 3rd defendant/counter claimant (Mr. Daniel Nwafor)
“Either by himself, officers, agents, subordinates or any person claiming through him from enforcing or giving effect to the judgement of the court delivered on 14/08/2018, FCT/HC/BW/CV/103/2018.
“Pending the determination of the appeal filed by the 1st defendant/Application of (All Progressives Congress).”
Therefore, Buni said that the party has concluded that, “until there is a contrary order of the court Nwafor is restrained from conducting himself as the chairman of the party in Imo.
But Buni’s position did not go down well with Okorocha’s faction led by Nwafor, who insisted that he should be recognised as the APC chairman.
He replied Buni, saying: “The said ruling of 16 July 2020 has been appealed against by us in suit No: CA/ABJ/CV/595 2020.
“The stay of execution has been also been filed at the high court of FCT Abuja with suit No: FCT/HC/BW/M/357/2020.
“The notice of appeal has been obtained and notice of appeal has been issued by the court of appeal against the judgement of 16 July 2020.”
It should be recalled that the battle started in the build-up to 2019 governorship election, when the Nwafor led executive was dissolved by the former national chairman of APC, Adams Oshiomole and Nlemigbo was made chairman of the APC, caretaker committee in Imo state.
Vanguard News Nigeria
