Nseobong Okon-Ekong
Some stakeholders of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Kogi State have sued the National Working Committee (NWC) of the party over the adoption of indirect primary for the selection of the party’s flagbearer for the November 16 governorship election.
The stakeholders said the party may be heading for the Zamfara State experience if indirect primary is not stopped.
In the originating summons filed by their lawyer, Oluwole Aladedoye, at the Federal High Court in Abuja, the plaintiffs are asking the court to halt the indirect primary proposed by the NWC.
The plaintiffs, who are members of Haddy Ametuo-led faction, are the Ex-officio, Destiny Eneojoh Aromeh; Organising Secretary, Mr. Isah Abubakar; Zonal Youth Leader, Noah Aku; and Zonal Women Leader, Mrs. Joy Onu.
The stakeholders in the notification of the suit sent to the APC National Legal Adviser, Babatunde Ogala, urged him to advise the party on the need to respect court processes and halt any action on the proposed indirect mode of the primary.
Among issues formulated for determination are whether having regard to the pendency of suit filed by Haddy Ametuo, Salam Adejoh – suing for themselves and on behalf of other members of the SEC elected on May 19, 2018, the APC can adopt the indirect primary mode.
They also urged the court to determine whether the involvement of persons claiming to be members of the Kogi SEC during the pendency of the suit in the nomination of the governorship candidate would not amount to interference with the judicial process and run against the principle of sub-judice, which would render the outcome of such primary illegal, null and void.
The plaintiffs also prayed the court to determine whether the defendant can ignore the suit, which seeks to determine the authentic members of the Kogi SEC, who constitute the delegates by adopting the indirect mode of the primary.
The stakeholders also want the court to determine whether it is not an act of disrespect for judicial processes for the defendant to adopt the indirect mode of primary in nominating its governorship candidate having been made a party to the suit, which seeks to determine the authentic members of the Kogi SEC, who will constitute the bulk of the delegates to participate in the indirect primary mode for the nomination of the governorship candidate.
