Imo APC crisis: REC warns against disobeying court order, as Oshiomhole’s contempt trial begins Monday

Stanley Uzoaru,Owerri

The Imo State chairman of the All Progressive Congress (APC), Daniel Nwafor, has cautioned the state Resident Electoral Commissioner (REC) Prof Francis Ezeonu over his insistence on recognising the Marcellinus Nlemigbo- led transition committee of APC in the state.

Nwafor reminded Ezeonu that his continual recognition of Nlemigbo as the APC transition committee chairman in the state violates an existing court order filed against the National Chairman of the party, Adams Oshiomhole, who is presently being tried for contempt of court.

The REC had allowed the party agent sent by Nlemigbo to stand in for the party along Nwafor’s agent during the distribution of election materials last Friday, which Nwafor viewed as clear disobedience to the court order.

Meanwhile, Oshiomhole is expected to appear in the Federal High Court, Abuja on Monday, February 18, 2019, in his contempt of court case.

This is in relation to the court order that the Imo APC led by Hon. Daniel Nwafor should not be tampered, dissolved or removed, issued on August 14, 2018.

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In the notice of consequences of disobedience to court order served on Oshiomhole, dated January 30, 2019, the court warned Oshiomhole saying “unless you obey the direction(s) in this order, you will be guilty of contempt of court and will be liable to be committed to prison.”

It would be recalled that upon the dissolution of the Nwafor-led Imo APC, Oshiomhole had constituted and inaugurated a caretaker committee led by Prince Marcellinus Nlemigbo to pilot the affairs of the party in the state.

In a related development, a chieftain of the party, Augustus Onwuchedo, has enjoined the Abuja court to imprison Oshiomhole to serve as a deterrent to others who according to him have messed with the judicial system in the country.

“Nigeria judicial system has suffered a lot of humiliation in the recent time. That of the Chief Justice Walter Onnoghen is a clear case.

“It is expected that the system should do well to protect itself at all cost from further assault and neglect; it should also endeavour to safeguard its powers and responsibilities of upholding the law and justice.

“I have no right to tell the court what to do on the matter but I think nothing will stop Oshiomhole from being jailed; that way, others will learn the lesson that the judicial system should not be tampered with henceforth,” Onwuchedo said.