From Godwin Tsa, Abuja
Former National Secretary of All Progressives Congress (APC), Senator John James Akpanudoedehe has refused to withdraw an appeal he filed at Abuja division of the Court of Appeal relating to the crisis rocking the Akwa Ibom state chapter of the party.
The appeal before the appellate court is against the decision of the trial court on the dispute between Akpanudoedehe and five purported elected Executive members of Akwa Ibom chapter of the party.
When the appeal came up for hearing, the ex national scribe of the APC told the court of Appeal that he will never withdraw the appeal even as the National Chairman Abdullahi Adamu through his counsel insisted that he was no longer the National Secretary of party and can not act in that capacity.
His çounsel, Solomon Umoh (SAN), confirmed the position of his client when the appeal he filed against Stephen Leo Ntukekpo and 5 others elected members of the Akwa Ibom All Progressive Congress came up for hearing .
However, a panel of the Court of Appeal presided by Justice H.S. Tsammani could not hear the matter as the 1st to 5th defendants counsel insisted that Umoh ( SAN) had been debriefed by the party.
They claimed that APC has asked Umoh to withdraw the matter.
Chief Umeh Kalu (SAN), lawyer to the first defendant, Stephen Leo Ntukekpo told the Court of Appeal that a letter dated May 6, from APC National Headquarters signed by Head legal service and addressed to Solomon Umoh (SAN), and Akintola (SAN) had informed them and notified both lawyers of the party intention to withdraw the appeal as the party was bound by the decision of the lower Court.
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Kalu (SAN) said that while Akintola (SAN) has complied with the instructions of the party , Umoh (SAN) refused to comply with instructions of his clients the APC who engaged him.
Kalu SAN further submitted that Akpanudoedehe has since relinquished the post of National Secretary of APC adding that if he has an interest he should seek the leave of the Court to pursue his personnel interest.
The other lawyers to the 2nd to the 5th defendants allied with the submissions of Kalu (SAN).
In his response, counsel to the appellant Umoh (SAN) said he was in receipt of the letter dated May 5, and that the content of the said letter asked him to discontinued the matter at the high court which he had complied with.
He said the appeal had nothing to do with APC national Headquarters, but five elected members of the party in Akwa Ibom State. “They can not advice me to withdraw an appeal of my client that have paid for the service”, he added.