The National Chairman of the All Progressive Congress (APC) John Odigie-Oyegun and the Party’s National Secretary, Mai Mala Buni, risk imprisonment for alleged contempt of court.
This is following an order by an Ebonyi High Court demanding that they should appear before it on September 28, 2017 to explain why they should not be jailed.
The presiding judge, H. A. Njoku, said that the duo disobeyed an order of interlocutory injunction restraining them, or their agents from effecting a change in the leadership of the party in the state.
The crisis in the state chapter worsened when Mr. Oyegun transmitted a letter to the state deputy chairman, Eze Nwachukwu elevating him to the acting chairman of the party.
However, the supposedly suspended chairman of the chapter, Ben Nwobasi, denied being suspended, describing Nwachukwu as an impostor.
The court had on November 6, 2014 restrained the respondent from appointing caretaker committee in place of the executives elected during the ward, local government and state congresses conducted in the state on September 11, 16 and 29, 2014 respectively, pending the determination of the substantive suit.
The respondents had earlier been served a notice of consequence of disobedience to court orders, which they reportedly ignored.
They rather went ahead to issue Nwachukwu a letter appointing him as interim chairman of the party in the state.
However, following an initial threat of imprisonment for alleged contempt of court, the duo beat a retreat in a letter dated April 25, 2017 addressed to Nwachukwu where they withdrew the approval of his elevation.
In a dramatic twist, however, the two officials alongside other members of the national executive of the party again last month re-announced the appointment of Nwachukwu as chairman of the party in the state.
Meanwhile, counsel to the respondents, Ikechukwu Ezechukwu, said that he has asked the court to grant him ample time to ensure the duo responded to the summons.
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