Court insists Ajimobi, others attendance at Party’s NEC meeting

The Federal High Court in Lagos yesterday ordered that the meeting of the National Executive Council of the All Progressives Congress (APC) scheduled for next week Tuesday must not go on except a former Oyo State governor, Abiola Ajimobi; Waziri Bulama and Paul Chukwuma, are allowed to attend.

The court, in a ruling by Justice Mohammed Liman, restrained the APC and its officials from “disturbing, preventing or obstructing Waziri Bulama, Senator Abiola Ajimobi and Paul Chukwuma from carrying out their duties as acting National Secretary, acting National Deputy Chairman (South) and acting National Auditor of the APC, respectively.”

Justice Liman’s orders followed an ex parte application filed by the Lagos State Chairman of the APC, Tunde Balogun, which was argued by his lawyer, Gani Bello.

Balogun, in the application, prayed the court to compel the APC to recognise Bulama as the party’s acting National Secretary; Ajimobi, as the acting National Deputy Chairman (South); and Chukwuma, as the acting National Auditor of the party.

He told the court that after the three offices became vacant and were zoned to different geopolitical zones, Bulama was nominated by the North-East; Ajimobi, by the South-West; and Chukwuma, by the South-East.

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Balogun said the nomination of Bulama was ratified at the meeting of the APC National Working Committee held on January 14, 2020; while those of Ajimobi and Chukwuma were ratified at the NWC meeting of March 4, 2020.

“By virtue of the ratification stated above, the nominees have become members of the National Executive Council and are entitled by the constitution of the defendant (APC) to work and operate in acting capacities in their respective offices pending their swearing-in at the National Convention of the party.

“In spite of the foregoing, the defendant (APC), acting through its officials and officers, particularly, the Deputy National Secretary, has not allowed the nominees to perform their duties as members of the National Executive Council,” Balogun said.

He told the court that the APC National Executive Council could not effectively operate unless Bulama, Ajimobi and Chukwuma were allowed to perform their duties.

Balogun prayed the court to compel the APC to recognise them.

After listening to the applicant’s lawyer, Justice Liman granted the prayers and adjourned till March 25, 2020, to take the Motion on Notice.