Delta APC Crisis: Court Stops Oshiomhole From Recognising Ogboru/Omo-Agege Faction

The congress crisis rocking the Delta State chapter of the All Progressives Congress (APC) has taken a new dimension, with a Delta State High Court sitting in the Kwale Judicial Division restraining the party’s National Working Committee (NWC), the National Chairman Adams Oshiomhole and the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) from recognising or dealing with any other  executives of the party in the state apart from the Cyril Ogodo-led executive.

The presiding judge of the court, Justice V.I Ofesi, also granted an interim injunction restraining the party or its agents from swearing in any other ward and Local Government Areas Executives of the APC in the state order than the Chief Cyril Ogodo-led leadership, which has been sworn in and already assumed office before the emergence of the current NWC.

Joined in the case with suit no. HCK/56/2018 are the APC; Oshiomole; the party’s National Secretary, Mai Mala Buni; and the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) as defendants.

The Plaintiffs — Mr. Emmanuel Kem Oki, Delta APC Welfare Secretary; Mr. Amabiri Azorbo Paul, APC Chairman, Bomadi Local Government; Jiminyevwe Dicbame Ubu, APC Chairman, Ughelli South; and Lewis Odigwe, APC chairman, Ndokwa West — had approached the court to restrain the defendants from recognising or dealing with any other faction except that of the Ogodo-led executive.

After hearing from the counsel to the applicants, Mr. F. I. Obigbor, the presiding judge, Justice Ofesi ordered: “I have considered all the processes filed in support of this motion especially paragraphs 5-16 of the 18 paragraphs supporting affidavit exhibits A-E including the counsel written address, I am of the view that in the interest of justice, this application be granted and it is hereby granted.

“The Order of Interim Injunction is hereby granted restraining the 1st-3rd defendants whether by themselves, their agents, servants, or howsoever called from recognizing and/or swearing in any other State Executive of the All Progressive Congress (APC), Delta State, apart from that chaired by Chief Cyril Abeye Ogodo and his members into office, pending the hearing and determination of the Motion on Notice for interlocutory injunction pending before this Court.

“Secondly, an order of interim injunction is made restraining the 4th (INEC) whether by itself, its agents, servants or howsoever called from recognizing and/or dealing with any other State Executive of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Delta State, apart from that chaired by Chief Cyril Abeye Ogodo and his members. pending the hearing and determination of the Motion on Notice already filed in this case before this Court.”

The judge also granted an order of interim injunction restraining the defendants whether by themselves, their agents, servants or howsoever called from recognizing and/or swearing in any other ward and local government areas executives of the All Progressive Congress (APC) held on the 5 and 12 day of May, 2018 under the chairmanship of Emmanuel Chinda and approved by the National Working Committee, same having been sworn in and assumed duty.

The court therefore asked the defendants to show cause within seven days while the motion on notice for interlocutory injunction should not be granted, before adjoining the case to July 12, 2018.

It would be recalled that the Great Ogboru and Senator Ovie Omo-Agege faction of the party had bypassed the NWC to conduct a parallel state congress and reelect the former state Chairman of the party, Jones Erue, before the real approved date of the congress, which later produced Mr. Cyril Ogodo as the authentic and recognised state Chairman of the party, who was later sworn in by the former National hairman of the party, Mr. John Odiege-Oyegun.

However, this did not go down well with the Ogboru/Omo-Agege faction, whch went to a court in Lagos to obtain a judgement binding the new National Chairman, Mr. Adams Oshiomole, to recognise the Ogboru/Omo-Agege factional executive led by Erue executive.