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By Joel Anekwe
A Port Harcourt High Court Tuesday ruled that all members of the All Progressive Congress (APC) who purchased nomination form for 2018 congresses of the party should be allowed to participate in the forthcoming congresses without paying any fresh fee.
This is as the court declared that Igo Aguma, a chieftain of the party and the a former House of Representatives member had the locus standing to approach the court, adding that there was issue of injustice and violation of civil right of the applicant.
The judgement is considered in favour of the members of the party loyal to Sen. Magnus Abe, who had gone to court to seek redress after claiming to have been excluded from the congresses for which reason the party was excluded from the 2019 general election.
Presiding judge, Justice George Omereji, gave these rulings in two separate suits brought before him by Dele Moses and 9 others and Igo Aguma, on different matters in the crises rocking the party in the state.
On the matter brought by Dele Moses and nine others, Omereji held that only those who purchased the form to participate in the annulled congresses of the party in the state should participate in the Congresses to be rescheduled by the party.
The judge granted all six prayers of the applicants, including Sen. Abe the ruling that the court can interfere in the internal affairs of the party when the party constitution is not followed.
Omereji said that democracy would be effective in the country when the parties have internal democracy, noting that the suit by Moses and others is justice-able.
He ruled that all the candidates and those excluded in the cancelled Congresses are automatically to be allowed to participate in the process.
Also in his ruling on Igo Aguma who sought the court to make peace among the factions, Omereji declare him to head the affairs of the state by virtue of his position as the National Delegate and Statutory member of the party.
After hearing the submissions of his counsels, Justice Omereji declared that Aguma had the locus standi to approach the court, adding that there was issue of injustice and violation of civil right of the applicant.
He stated that the tenure of the caretaker committee of the party elapsed in September, noting that the continuous stay of the caretaker Committee is null and void, even he described it as fatal.
Omereji, who granted all the prayers of the claimant, Aguma, held that the decision of the court should be given immediate effect to enable the second party to rebuild itself.
Reacting to the court judgement, Aguma, noted that the ruling has given the party opportunity to make peace, noting that the party is bigger than individuals.
Aguma promised not to compromise the confidence reposed on him in piloting the affairs of the party, adding that peace would be restored in the party.
However, counsel for the defendants, Mr. Emenike Ebete, said the decisions of the court on the two matters would be challenged at the Court of Appeal.
He noted that there were a lot grounds where the court erred in its decisions, adding that the judgement would not survive tested at the appellate court.
