A Federal High Court, sitting in Benin, has declined to grant an order restraining Col. David Imuse (rtd) from parading himself as the chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC) pending the determination of a suit brought before it.
The court ordered that all motions relating to the matter should be presented together before the court on December 10, after which a ruling will be delivered.
In suit number FHC/B/CS/133/2019, the plaintiff, Anselm Ojezua and two others through their counsel, Ken Mozia (SAN), wanted the court to issue an order restraining the Defendants; Col David Imuse (rtd), Lawrence Okah from parading themselves as state chairman and secretary of the party.
They argued that Ojezua remains the party chairman while Okah has been suspended as the state secretary of the party
“That the status quo as at 10/11/2019 with regards to chairmanship of the APC should be maintained pending the hearing and determination of the case; And for such further or other orders as this honourable court may deem it fit to make in the circumstances of this case,” they prayed.
The defendants in a motion of preliminary objection through their lawyers, Douglas Ogbankwa (esq), Famous Osawaru and K.M. Jimoh, said the court does not have jurisdiction on the suspension of Ojezua as it is a “domestic affair of the APC.”
“The subject matter of this dispute purely revolves round the suspension/removal of the 1st plaintiff as chairman of APC Edo State,” the court stated.
In her ruling, Justice A.A. Deemi-Ajayi, declined to grant the order and fixed December 10 for hearing on all motions on the matter.
