Supreme Court fixesruling on APGA crisisJan. 15
THE Supreme Court presided
over by Justice John Fadiyi
has fixed January 15, 2016 to
deliver its judgment on the
protracted leadership
dispute between Victor
Umeh and Maxi Okwu in All
Progressives Grand Alliance
(APGA).
Before reserving its
judgment, the Supreme
Court judges listened
to counsel of both
parties as they adopted
their final written
addresses.
Okwu’s counsel, Garba
Pwul (SAN) and Oba
Maduabuchi, had
prayed the court to set
aside the judgment of
the Appeal Court,
which reversed the
ruling of an Abuja
High Court of January
15, 2015 and allow the
appeal by upholding
their client as the
authentic National
Chairman of APGA.
Pwul contended that
the Appeal Court erred
by ruling on
jurisdiction and
ignored the merit of
the case, pointing out
that Umeh imposed
himself on the party
for over 10 years in
violation of APGA’s
constitution and
without recourse to re-
election by secret
ballot at a duly
convened national
convention.
The senior lawyer
added that the fact that
Umeh had since
vacated office did not
affect the case, which
was filed in August
2013 even as he
enjoined the apex
court to order INEC
(Independent National
Electoral Commission)
to recognise Maxi
Okwu’s leadership of
the party.
Countering Umeh’s
counsel’s submission,
Pwul averred that
there was no claim
against APGA by the
appellants (Okwu and
those elected with him
in the April 8, 2013
convention at Awka,
Anambra State) but
against Victor Umeh
and Sani Shinkafi who
violated the party’s
constitution.
However, counsel to
Umeh, Patrick Ikwueto
(SAN), pleaded with
the court to dismiss
the appeal and uphold
the June 18 Court of
Appeal judgment,
which recognised
Umeh as the national
chairman, pointing out
that since APGA was
not joined, jurisdiction
and merit of the
matter were
interwoven in the
appellate court ruling.
INEC’s brief of
argument filed by
Ibrahim Bawa SAN was
also adopted.
