January 20, (THEWILL) – A Bayelsa State High Court sitting in Yenagoa has sacked the State Executives of the All Progressive Congress (APC), in the State with the nullification of the Ward, Local Government and State Congresses held between 3rd and 4th of September, 2021 and 16th October, 2021.
According to Justice Timipre .J Corcordia the State High Court on Friday, upheld the eight prayers of the plaintiff over the issue of exclusion, anomalies and disobedience to court orders over the conduct of the Ward, Local Government and State congresses.
The suit numbered YHC/107/2021, which was filed by some aggrieved members of the party in the state, Ompadec Victor, Esuenifen Obi, and Seimiegha Ebibofe Agbozu, with the prayers seeking an Interim injunction stopping the conduct of the ward congress in the state.
The same claims were made in the further amendment of the originating summon with Alex Izibenikiebo Blankson, as plaintiff and State Chairman of the APC, Barr. Denis’s Otittio and three others, as defendants.
Justice I. A Uzaka, however, had granted the interim injunction but the party went ahead with the conduct of the Congress at the ward, Local Government and State level, which produced Barr. Denis’s Otiotio led state executives and other executives at the ward and Local Government levels.
In the case before the Court, in the affirmative, the plaintiff through their Counsel, Barr. Fawei, asked the court whether having regard to the filing, service and knowledge of the defendants of the pendency of the Motion on Notice for Interlocutory Injunction in suit No. YHC/107/2021, seeking to restrain the defendant in Bayelsa State to elect its party leaders/officers, the defendant was duty bound to refrain from any action whatsoever about the conduct of its Congress until the hearing and determination of the said Motion on Notice by the Court.
“And that whether the conduct of the congresses by the defendant is invalid, null, void and liable to be set aside by the honourable court.”
In Answer to the questions, the Plaintiff, however, sought among other claims, a declaration that having regard to the order of the honourable Court, made on the 30th day of July 2021 in suit No: YHC/107/2021, restraining the defendants from conducting its wards, Local Government and State congresses, to elect it’s party leaders in Bayelsa State, the defendants were in disobedience of the said court order when it conducted its congresses during the subsistence of the order.
They also sought a 6th order nullifying the Ward, Local Government and State Congresses and election held by the defendants in Bayelsa State on the 3rd and 4th of September and 16th of October, 2021, in defiance of the restraining order made by the court on the 30th day of July, 2022, and during the pendency of the Motion for Interlocutory Injunction as well as during the pendency of the Appeal No: CA/PH/246/2021.
Justice Corcordia of the State High Court, after hearing from the plaintiff and defendant counsels, upheld the Eight Prayers sought by the plaintiff.
Commenting on the plaintiff Counsel, Barr. Fawei commended the judiciary for its ruling. “It simply means that the APC in Bayelsa from the beginning have no leadership,” he added.
All efforts to get the reaction of the State APC Chairman, Dr Denis Otiotio and the State Publicity Secretary, Mr Doifie Ola, proved abortive, as messages sent to them were not responded to at the time of filling the report.
About the Author
