A Federal High Court in Abuja has issued a ruling preventing Edozie Njoku from presenting himself as the National Chairman of the All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA).
Justice James Omotosho, in his decision, stated that there was no legitimate court order, including any ruling from the Supreme Court, to support Njoku’s claim to the position of APGA chairman.
The judgment followed a lawsuit filed by the APGA and its legitimate National Chairman, Sylvester Ezeokenwa. The plaintiffs challenged the actions of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), which had recognized Njoku’s faction of the party. The suit, identified as FHC/ABJ/CS/966/2024, argued that INEC wrongly substituted Ezeokenwa and his executive officers with those of Njoku on its official website on July 9.
In delivering the ruling, Justice Omotosho declared that INEC’s actions were unlawful. He emphasized that the leadership dispute within APGA had already been resolved in 2021 by the Supreme Court, which had affirmed Victor Oye as the legitimate chairman. After Oye’s tenure, a lawful convention was conducted on May 31, 2023, which elected Ezeokenwa and his executive team. This convention had been properly monitored and validated by INEC itself.
Justice Omotosho pointed out that there was no current court order that justified INEC’s actions. He further explained that the Supreme Court’s previous judgment had made it clear that the leadership issue within APGA was an internal matter, beyond the jurisdiction of the courts. Therefore, there was no legal reason for INEC to recognize Njoku as chairman.
The judge also referenced prior litigation brought by Njoku, in which he unsuccessfully argued that the Supreme Court had excluded his name in error. This claim was rejected, and both the Court of Appeal and a letter from the Supreme Court Registrar confirmed that Njoku was not legally recognized as APGA’s chairman.
In conclusion, Justice Omotosho reaffirmed the validity of Ezeokenwa’s election as the party’s legitimate chairman. He ruled that INEC’s decision on July 9 was null and void, ordering the commission to update its records to reflect Ezeokenwa’s leadership. Additionally, the court issued a mandatory injunction requiring INEC to revert to the leadership status prior to July 8, 2023, ensuring that Ezeokenwa and his team are recognized as the rightful national executives of APGA.
