No fewer than five litigations are dangling over the caretaker committee of the All Progressives Congress (APC) led by Governor Mai Bala Buni of Yobe State inaugurated in June 2020.
Amid arguments for and against the status of the APC caretaker committee, dissatisfied parties have filed at least five suits in court with some challenging the recently scheduled congresses of the party.
The July 28 Supreme Court judgment in the Ondo State governorship election dispute, on which it delivered a split judgment (upholding the election of Governor Rotimi Akeredolu by 4 to 3) has caused more controversy.
The apex court, which had unanimously found that Akeredolu’s nomination by the Buni-led committee of the APC was invalid, however, ruled in the majority verdict that the PDP candidate, Eyitayo Jegede’s failure to join Buni in the matter was fatal.
In July, a chieftain of the party, Okosisi Emeka Ngwu, approached an FCT High Court seeking an order stopping the congresses of the party in Imo State.
On July 30, another chieftain of the party, Kalu Kalu Agu, filed an application before an FCT High Court demanding a restraining order against the ward congress, which was then scheduled for July 31.
Also, on August 12, the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Yobe State asked a Federal High Court to sack Governor Mai Mala Buni and his deputy, Idi Barde Gubana, from office and install Ambassador Umar Iliya in his place.
On August 19, about 100 members of the APC filed a suit before the Federal High Court in Abuja challenging the status of the Buni-committee. They also sought the dissolution of the 13-member committee.
Similarly, a chieftain of the APC in Kwara State, Bashir Omolaja Bolarinwa, has asked a high court in Ilorin to declare the party’s committee illegal.
