Alex Enumah in Abuja
The Court of Appeal in Abuja yesterday dismissed the appeal filed by the All Progressives Congress (APC), challenging the leadership of the Stephen Ntukekpo-led executive of the party in Akwa Ibom State.
The dismissal was as a result of the withdrawal of the suit by the appellant.
The APC had approached the appellate court seeking to upturn the decision of a Federal High Court in Abuja, which recognised the Ntukekpo-led executive as the rightful leadership of the Akwa-Ibom State APC.
However, when the case was called, counsel to the APC, Chief Niyi Akintola (SAN), informed the Court of Appeal of his client’s decision to abide by the judgment delivered by Justice Taiwo Taiwo of the Federal High Court in Abuja.
Akintola further claimed that his client, the APC, has enforced the judgment of the lower court by swearing in Ntukekpo as the Akwa-Ibom State chairman of the party and the other plaintiffs in the judgment of the lower court as the executive members of the party in the state.
The plaintiff’s lawyer, Chief Umeh Kalu (SAN), did not oppose the withdrawal, and likewise the counsel to the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Umar Farouk (SAN).
In its ruling, the three-man panel led by Justice Haruna Tsamani granted the application and subsequently dismissed the appeal.
The dismissal has put to rest the tussle over the leadership of the APC in the state.
Reacting to the judgment, the Chairman of the state APC, Stephen Ntukekpo, hailed the decision of the APC to withdraw the appeal and enforce the judgment of the lower court by swearing in his executive members.
He also hailed the Appeal Court for dismissing the appeal just as he extended his hands of fellowship to the party members in the state, especially the aggrieved ones, and urged them to join hands with him to move the party forward with a view to taking over the state Government House in the 2023 general election.
