The Prophet Jones Erue-led executive committee of the Delta State chapter of the All Progressives Congress (APC), has reacted to a on Monday judgement by the Federal High Court sitting in Asaba, the state capital sacking it from office.
Recall that the Federal High Court presided over by Justice Toyin Adegoke also sacked the ward and local government executives of the party.
The judge however declared the plaintiff, Cyril Ogodo, as the authentic chairman of the main opposition party in the state.
However, in a swift reaction to the judgement, the Erue-led faction in a statement signed and released by its Director of Communications, Nick Ovuakporie on Monday urged supporters of the party not to lose sleep over the judgement insisting that the Erue faction remained the nationally recognised executive committee of the party in the state.
Read full statement below:
All Progressives Congress Delta State Chapter
Plot 4 Anwai-Illah Road, Core Area, G.R.A Asaba, Delta State.
Press Statement.
The attention of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Delta State has been drawn to a court judgement being circulated that purportedly conferred legitimacy to a group of impostors parading themselves as State Executive Committee members of the party, in Delta State.
The party in a statement released to the press and signed by Nick Ovuakporie, Director of Communications, APC Delta State said party faithfuls should disregard the charade being celebrated as judgement which is at variance with the consent judgement of the Federal High Court Abuja division.
The party queried the real intendment of the judgement given by the learned Judge of the Federal High Court Asaba even though the trial justice was aware if a consent judgement issued by a competent court of co-ordinate jurisdiction which validated the election of Prophet Jones Ode Erue and his exco at the party congresses as validly elected.
The party wishes to state unequivocally that Prophet Jones Ode Erue is the Chairman of the APC in Delta State and same is not contentious.
Party faithfuls are herebyby enjoied to go about their usual business without fear or favour.
Signed:
Nick Ovuakporie,
Director, Communications APC,
Delta State.
Another reaction by to the judgement by the Erue-led faction reads in full below:
ON THE ‘NOTHINGNESS’ THAT HAPPENED TODAY IN THE FEDERAL HIGH COURT ASABA.
Today, the Federal High Court sitting in Asaba purportedly nullified the State Congresses that led to the Prophet Jones Ode Erue-led APC executives in Delta. It is ‘purportedly’ because the same Federal High Court (sitting in Abuja) had earlier affirmed the validity of the Prophet Jones executives in a subsisting consent judgment that has not been appealed against, and which is indeed now unappealable.
Nobody should lose sleep over the so-called judgment of today. Its nothingness is obvious.
First, being of COORDINATE JURISDICTION (equal judicial powers), the Federal High Court Asaba could not and did not SET ASIDE the valid, subsisting and unappealable consent judgment of the Federal High Court, Abuja. Only the Court of Appeal or Supreme Court has such powers.
Two, the Asaba Court did not make any CONSEQUENTIAL ORDERS in its inchoate judgment regarding APC’s winners/losers in the recent 2019 general elections in Delta State. Those claiming otherwise should re-read the Asaba anarchic decision together with the provision of Section 285(7) of the Constitution (4th Alteration Act) which forbids anyone who didn’t participate in ALL processes of an election from occupying the elective office for which the election was held.
In any case, it would seem extremely childish and opportunistic for those who openly labored against APC’s victories to ever think they would benefit from the same victories. You disloyally gave fake victories to PDP in the National Assembly Elections but now jumping about like excited crickets to enjoy APC’s victories! What is even wrong with some humans? In any case, as already said, the Court didn’t even say so in its perverse decision of today.
Also, it significant that the Asaba Court didn’t allow any person who may be affected by its decision to join the action. It shut the door of justice against them. So, no fair hearing and this is of cardinal importance in judicial contestations. That bias is too obvious. It can’t withstand further legal scrutiny.
In all, today’s Asaba judgment is just an academic exercise in futility. Except APC’s senior counsel advise otherwise, an appeal may not even be necessary. This is insofar as the Abuja consent judgment remains standing, unshaken and unshakable like the Wall of Gibraltar.