From Godwin Tsa, Abuja
Former national secretary of the All Progressives Congress (APC), John James Akpanudoedehe, has refused to withdraw an appeal he filed at the Abuja division of the Court of Appeal relating to the crisis rocking the Akwa Ibom State chapter of the party.
The suit is against the decision of the trial court on the dispute between him and five purported elected executive members of the party.
When the appeal came up for hearing, the former national scribe told the Court he would never withdraw the appeal even as the National Chairman, Abdullahi Adamu, through his counsel, insisted he was no longer the national secretary and cannot act in that capacity.
His counsel, Solomon Umoh, confirmed the position of his client when the appeal he filed against Stephen Leo Ntukekpo and five others elected members of the Akwa Ibom APC came up for hearing.
However, a panel of the Court of Appeal presided by Justice H. S. Tsammani could not hear the matter as the 1st to 5th defendants’ counsel insisted that Umoh had been debriefed by the party. They claimed that APC has asked Umoh to withdraw the matter.
Umeh Kalu, lawyer to the first defendant, Ntukekpo, told the Court that a letter dated May 6, from APC national headquarters signed by head, legal service and addressed to Solomon Umoh, and Akintola had informed them and notified both lawyers of the party intention to withdraw the appeal as the party was bound by the decision of the lower court.
Kalu said while Akintola has complied with the instructions of the party, Umoh refused to comply with instructions of his clients, who engaged him.
Kalu further submitted that Akpanudoedehe has since relinquished the post of national secretary of APC, adding that if he has an interest he should seek the leave of the court to pursue his personnel interest.
The other lawyers to the 2nd to the 5th defendants allied with the submissions of Kalu.