Court Dismisses Suit on APC Tenure Extension

Posted by African Examiner Featured, Latest Headlines, News Monday, May 14th, 2018

(AFRICAN EXAMINER) – A Federal High Court sitting in Abuja has dismissed two suits challenging the attempt by the All Progressives Congress APC to extend the tenure of its National Chairman, John Odigie-Oyegun and other executives of the party at the national, state, local government and ward levels.

Justice Nnamdi Dimgba in two separate judgments Monday held that the suits had become hypothetical, academic and spent, just as the party has since reversed itself on the decision.

President Muhammadu Buhari has at a meeting of the National Working Committee NWC of the APC last month announced his rejection of the tenure extension of the present NEC and by extension, party’s executives at the State, LG and ward levels.

Justice Dimgba noted that he had taken “judicial notice” of the fact that the party had started conducting its congresses for the purpose of electing its officials at the ward and local government levels as well as the fact that the APC had slated its National Convention for May 19.

The judge held that the court does not give judgment “for fancy” but only “addresses live issues.”

However, Justice Dimgba observed that had the attempt to extend the tenures matured into reality, it would have been a violation of both the Nigerian and APC’s constitutions.

It would be recalled that The party’s National Executive Council had, at its meeting attended by President Muhammadu Buhari on February 27, 2018, extended the four-year tenure of the party officials due to expire on June 30, 2018, by one year, then automatically positioning the current EXCO .

A member of the APC in Imo State, Mr. Okere Uzochukwu, however filed the first suit on March 2, 2018 and marked, FHC/ABJ/CS/219/2018 to challenge the move.

Similarly, the Lagos APC also kicked against the tenure extension and threatened legal action.

The second suit marked FHC/ABJ/CS/237/2018, was filed on March 8, 2018 by four APC members aspiring to run for leadership positions of the party, to challenge the extension of the tenures of the incumbent EXCO of the party./The Punch.