Bigwigs in the ruling All progressives Congress (APC) have resolved to vacate the court order stopping the party’s national convention slated for March 26, 2022.
Credible sources in the party confided to Daily Trust last night that the Attorney General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Abubakar Malami (SAN) and other stakeholders in the APC had concluded plans to vacate the suit this week.
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The order was made on November 18, 2021, following an ex parte application by an aggrieved member of the party, Hon. Salisu Umoru, seeking to restrain the APC and Governor Mai Mala Buni from organising any convention until the determination of the suit.
The application sought an “interlocutory injunction restraining the 1st and 2nd defendants/respondent, their allies, agents, representatives, associates or whoever is acting for them or through them from organising, holding or conducting the national convention of the APC in January and February 2022 or any other date either before or after pending the hearing and determination of the substantive suit.”
After reading Umoru’s reliefs, the affidavit by Khalilat Bello and listening to his counsel, H. S. Danjuma Esq, and lawyers to the APC and Buni, A. M. Adoyi, and INEC, Anthony Onyeri Esq, the judge ruled that the APC can only conduct a national convention after the hearing and determination of the suit.
The order was granted by Justice Bello Kawu. The judge also ordered accelerated hearing in the matter.
But Daily Trust was hinted last night that the plaintiff was willing to withdraw the suit for the convention to hold as planned sequel to intense pressure from APC stakeholders.
Daily Trust was told last night that the Chairman of the APC Caretaker/Extraordinary Convention Planning Committee, Governor Mai Mala Buni who had jetted out of the country for medical would return before the convention.
INEC had last week refused to recognise a letter sent to it by the party signed by Niger State Governor Sani Bello on the ground that it was not signed by Buni and Secretary of the Caretaker Committee, Senator John James Akpanudoedehe.
Multiple sources say Buni is in touch with the caretaker committee and the Niger State governor who is acting chairman of the party.
Controversy is raging over who is the authentic head of the APC, between Buni and Bello, as governors on the platform of the party are divided over President Muhammadu Buhari’s purported sack of the former.
Governor Bello has been performing the functions of Buni’s office since his medical trip abroad barely two weeks ago.
