Laide Raheem, Abeokuta
The crisis rocking the Ogun State chapter of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) deepened on Thursday, as an Abuja Federal High Court, pronounced a restraining order on the Derin Adebiyi-led state executive committee of the party not to conduct the party’s governorship primaries through indirect mode of primary election.
The court, presided over by Justice O. A. Musa, ordered that in APC in the state must not conduct the primaries in any other manner other than the direct primary option as directed by the National Working Committee (NWC) of the party.
The NWC of APC had on Wednesday listed Ogun as one of the states where direct mode of primary to be conducted.
Earlier, the state executive committee of the party at an expanded meeting last week, insisted the state chapter of the party would opt for indirect primary, if consensus failed.
But the duo of Adeniyi Clement and Timothy Olapade, who are stalwarts of APC in Ogun had dragged the party to court over alleged exclusion of members from the ward, local government and state congresses of the state chapter held on 5th, 12th and 19th May, 2018 respectively.
In a suit No. FCT/HC/BW/CV/133/2018, the APC, the party’s National Chairman, Adams Oshiomhole, Ogun APC Chairman, Derin Adebiyi, and Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), were joined as the first, second, third and fourth defendants respectively.
Aggrieved party members had filed a Motion Ex-parte dated September 25, seeking an order granting leave to them to serve Oshiomhole and Adebiyi the originating process and other processes in the suit by substituted means.
They also sought an order of interim injunction restraining the first through third defendants/respondents from departing from the directive of NWC that only direct primary option should be used for the Ogun State governorship primary election till the hearing and determination of the motion on notice.
The applicants further demanded an order of interim injunction restraining the party officers and executives that emerged from the ward, local government and state congresses from performing duties of such offices pending the hearing and determination of the motion on notice on interlocutory injunction.
But in his ruling on the matter Tuesday, the presiding judge granted three of the reliefs sought by the applicants.
He restrained the defendants either by themselves, agents, privies or any officer under their employment or direction from conducting the governorship primaries in any other manner other than the direct primary option as issued by the NWC at its meeting of 24th September, 2018 pending the hearing of the motion on notice.
Justice Musa also granted leave to the claimants to serve Oshiomhole and Adebiyi all originating and subsequent processes in the suit by substituted means.
The judge ordered the APC “to abide by the authority of the Supreme Court in Mil. Governor of Lagos State & Ors V. Ojukwu (1986) LPELR – 3186 (SC) to the effect that if any officer, subject to this suit or whose position is being challenged herein, conducts any primaries herein, this court has power to void same.”
The case was adjourned to October 15, 2018 for hearing of the motion on notice.
Meanwhile, the state Publicity Secretary of APC, Wole Elegbede, when contacted on Thursday via telephone, he simply said, “I would not make any comment since the matter was already in court”. I