From Paul Osuyi, Asaba
The Delta State chapter of the All Progressive Congress (APC) on Thursday said it was not aware of any court ruling stopping the local government congresses in the state slated for this Saturday.
The publicity secretary of the state caretaker committee of the party, Sylvester Imonina, told our correspondent in Asaba that if there was any restraining order, it would be legally handled.
‘As at this moment, Delta APC is not aware of any order of court restraining it and/or its leadership from performing its constitutional duties.
‘We don’t think there is any such order. If there is any, same will be handled legally,’ he wrote in response to an enquiry on the party’s reaction to a Delta State High Court, Asaba, ruling restraining the conduct of the congress.
The court presided over by Justice Onome Marshall Umukoro had in a ruling stopped the exercise.
In the ruling, the court also restrained Yobe State Governor Mai Mala Buni along with other members from acting or parading as APC national caretaker committee until the determination of a substantive suit before the court.
Delta State APC deputy chairman, Elvis Ayomanor leading other state officials approached the court, seeking an order of perpetual injunction restraining the 2nd to 14th defendants/respondents from parading themselves as the members of the Caretaker/Extraordinary Convention Planning Committee (CECPC) of the 1st defendant pending the hearing and determination of the motion on notice already filed and served in the suit.
Alternatively, the claimants/applicants sought an interim injunction restraining the 2nd to 14th defendants/respondents from conducting the local government and state congresses slated for September 4 or any other date, and other congresses of the 1st defendant in Delta State, pending the hearing and determination of the motion on notice, already filed and served.
In his ruling, Justice Umukoro granted seven days order of interim injunction restraining Buni and the CECPC from conducting the local government and state congresses slated for September 4 or any other date, and other congresses of the APC in Delta State, or parading as National Caretaker Committee of the party, pending the hearing and determination of the motion on notice already filed and served.
Justice Umukoro also granted that Buni and others at the national leadership be served originating summons by means to wit by serving same on any officer or staff of the APC at the party’s national secretariat, 40 Blantyre Street, Wuse, Abuja, and deeming such service in the circumstances of this case;
The court also granted leave to the claimants/applicants to serve the originating summons and all other processes in the suit on the 15th defendants/respondents by substituted means to wit by serving same on any officer or staff of the Delta APC at the party’s state secretariat, Asaba and deeming such service proper in the circumstances of the matter.