Godwin Tsa, Abuja

The leadership crisis rocking the Inter Party Advisory Council (IPAC) has taken a new twist with an order of a Grade One Area Court in Abuja restraining Chief Ralph Okey Nwosu and others from acting, functioning, or parading themselves as members of the Central Management Committee of the council.

The court further restrained them from conducting any election into the office of the National Chairman or President of IPAC, or any other offices.

The court made the restraining order while ruling on an exparte motion filed by Dr. Leonard Nzenwa, national chairman of AAC party and recognised President of IPAC.

In his ruling, the area court judge, M.A. Sadiq  also restrained the Okey Nwosu-led factional group from giving effect to the purported inauguration of an illegal Central Management Committee by Mr.Peter Ameh, former chairman of IPAC.

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The court equally restrained  Ameh who was listed in the suit as the 1st defendant from exercising any power, function or duty of the national chairman or president of IPAC or doing any other act whatsoever relating or pertaining to the office of the national chairman or president of IPAC.

The judge also granted an order for substituted service of all the process either by delivering same at their last known addresses or through their WhatsApp numbers.

IPAC was embroiled in crisis following the deregistration of 74 political parties by INEC in February. The remaining 18 political parties elected Dr. Leonard Nzenwa to lead them pending the conduct of full elections. A competent High Court in Abuja also affirmed Leonard as chairman of IPAC and gave him full powers to lead the organisation, including any future transition.  However, Mr. Peter Ameh whose party, Progressive Peoples Alliance was one of the deregistered parties refused to recognise the election and went ahead to inaugurate the Okey Nwosu Central Management Committee for which the court has now restrained them from parading or acting as members.

Another FCT High Court had in another suit recognised and validated the position of Dr. Leonard Nzenwa as the duly elected leader of the IPAC. If Peter Ameh continues to disobey the orders of court, Counsel to Nzenwa, Mr. Chibuzor Ezike told reporters that they would move the court to commence criminal trial of  Ameh and his cohorts.