By: Ikenna Oluka
The Federal High court Enugu presided by Liman J, Thursday, the 17th of January 2019, granted some orders which are viewed as setbacks for the All Progressive Congress (APC) in Enugu State.
The ordered as follows:
1)A declaration that Ben Nwoye is required to resign and leave office 30days prior to 19/5/2018 fixed for the election of the chairman of the Enugu state executive committee of APC.
2)A declaration that Ben Nwoye is required to personally apply in writing and obtain a waiver from APC before seeking to re contest the position of chairman of Enugu State executive committee of APC
3)A declaration that Ben Nwoye having failed to resign 30days prior to 19/5/2018 and also having failed to obtain a waiver is INELIGIBLE to recontest the position of chairman of Enugu State executive committee of APC on 19/5/2018.
4) Having found that Ben Nwoye is ineligible to re contest, the claims seeking perpetual injunction to restrain APC & INEC from recognising Ben Nwoye as chairman or parading himself as such and setting aside any certificate of return issued to him by apc becomes needless because he is abinitio INELIGIBLE to recontest the position of chairman of Enugu state executive committee
5)A declaration that the Apc guidelines for ward , local government and state congresses which purportedly granted general waivers to Ben Nwoye, & his purported ward , local government and state executive committee is inconsistent with apc constitution and therefore illegal,null and void .
6) An order setting aside the paragraphs of the Apc guidelines for ward , local government and state congresses which purportedly granted general waivers to Ben Nwoye and his purported ward,local government and state executives in violation of APc constitution .
6) Having held that Ben Nwoye is ineligible to recontest, the claim seeking a declaration that Okey Ogbodo is the elected chairman of Enugu state executive committee of APC is no longer in issue as issues were not joined on this .
By this ruling, Deacon Okey Ogbodo is now recognized as the authentic and bonafide Chairman, APC Enugu State with many asking what will be the fate of the candidates that emerged as APC candidates in the forthcoming elections following primaries organised by Ben Nwoye.