From Godwin Tsa, Abuja
The Abuja division of the Court of Appeal has dismissed the appeal filed by the All Progressives Congress (APC) challenging the decision of a Federal High Court which had ordered it to swear-in the Stephen Leo Ntukekpu led Akwa-Ibom State Executive of the party.
In a unanimous judgment, the appellate Court presided over by Justice Haruna Tsamani, with Justice Ugochukwu Ogakwu and Justice Bature Gafai, said the dismissal was sequel to an application by the Counsel to APC, Niyi Akintola, SAN, informing the court of his client’s decision to abide by the judgment delivered by Justice Taiwo Taiwo of the Federal High Court Abuja Division.
He further informed the court that his client, the APC, has enforced the judgment of the lower court by swearing in Stephen Leo Nkukekpo as the Akwa-Ibom State Chairman of the party, and the other plaintiffs in the judgment of the lower court as the Executive members of the party in the State.
With the dismissal of the appeal, it has put to rest the tussle over the leadership of the APC in Akwa-Ibom State.
Counsel to the plaintiffs, Chief Umeh Kalu, SAN, did not oppose the withdrawal, same as Counsel to the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Umar Farouk, SAN.
Reacting to the judgment, Chairman of the APC in Akwa-Ibom State, Stephen Leo Nkukekpo, hailed the decision of the APC to withdraw the appeal and enforce the judgment of the lower court by swearing in his Executive members. He also hailed the Appeal Court for dismissing the appeal, just as he extended his hands of fellowship to the party members in the state, especially the aggrieved ones, and urged them to join hands with him to move the party forward with a view to taking over the Akwa-Ibom Government House in the 2023 general elections.
(Continued on www.sunnewsonline.com)
The former Secretary of the Caretaker Committee of the party, John James Akpan Udoudehe, was at the appeal court for the judgment.
A Federal High Court sitting in Abuja had, on March 17, sacked the Augustine Ekanem led leadership of the APC in Akwa-Ibom State and declared the Stephen Leo Ntukekpo led leadership of the party as the authentic leadership of the APC in the State.
The court presided over by Justice Taiwo Taiwo went ahead to order the party to swear-in the Nkukekpu led Exco of the party.
Justice Taiwo Taiwo had, in his judgment, held that the inauguration of the Augustine Ekanem led state executive of the party was an act of illegality.