The troubles facing Chief Uche Nwosu’s ambition of picking a governorship ticket of APC for 2019 election in Imo State witnessed another serious setback yesterday, as a High Court of the State nullified the purported governorship primaries he is laying claim to have won.
Nwosu has been witnessing difficult times in a bid to get APC governorship ticket. The party favoured Senator Hope Uzodinma who won the October 1st 2018 primaries against his claims of winning that of October 6.
Based on a suit filed by the Deputy Governor, Prince Eze Madumere, an aspirant to the governorship ticket, Justice K A Ojiako nullified the purported governorship primaries allegedly conducted on 6/10/18 upon which Nwosu, son in law to Gov Rochas Okorocha claims to be Governorship candidate of APC in Imo state. The court granted all the prayers sought by the plaintiff Prince Eze Madumere, the Deputy Governor of Imo Sate and contestant for the guber ticket that the relevant primary election was held on 1/10/18 and won by Senator Hope Uzodinma and that with the order granted by an Abuja high court restraining fresh primaries it was illegal to purport a repeat of fresh primary election on 6/10/18.
Trumpeta learnt that this latest court order may have dealt a devastating blow to the ambition of Okorocha’s preferred choice as successor considering the numerous cases in court standing against him as the APC chooses Uzodinma to fly the party’s flag.
Meanwhile, Son in-law to the Imo State governor, Chief Uche Nwosu has called the bluff of the National Chairman of the All Progressive Congress, APC and members of the National Working Committee, NWC, over reported plans by the party to sanctions members who took matters affecting it to court.
The NWC under Oshiomole early this week dropped the hint that those who took the party to court without exhausting internal party mechanism to settle disputes arising from the primaries may be handed disciplinary action.
It would be recalled that some party chieftains including Nwosu, backed by Governor Rochas Okorocha went to court to contest the process leading to Senator Hope Uzodinma’s emergeance as APC governorship candidate.
The matter instituted by Nwosu is still pending in Abuja court even as the NWC of APC has submitted to INEC, Uzodinma’s name for display.
Nwosu, in what appeared like a return fire to Oshiomole and APC NWC described the position of the party leadership as unacceptable. According to him, such a threat can’t stop him from pursuing his case to a logical conclusion adding that no amount of threat will bar him from the court processes he has adopted.
APC expressed intent to punish members by activitaling constitutional provisions regarding the several court actions. The decision which came up on Monday was confirmed by the National Publicity Secretary of the party, Mallam Lanre Issa-Onilu who said that the NWC “favoured at the actions of some party members who have resorted to litigation as a way of addressing their perceived grievances and disputation without exhausting the party’s dispute resolution mechanism.
Mallam Issa-Onilu in a statement obtained online stated; “We hereby strongly advise such members to withdraw all court cases, while approaching the appropriate party organs with a view to resolving any outstanding disputes. In addition to this, aggrieved members are urged to take full advantage of the reconciliation committees the party has just put in place”.
“APC members should understand that as a progressive party that operates on the principle of change, it is not a matter of choice to keep to the rules. “We therefore advise such members to take this warning very seriously as failure to comply with the party’s dispute resolution procedures would be met with the stipulated disciplinary actions”.
The party has now warned against the growing trend which it described as “manifest indiscipline”. “The actions, it should be noted, is considered as anti-party as it goes against our Party’s constitution.
According to Article 21(D)(v), it reads; “Any member who files an action in court of law against the party or any of its officers on any matter or matters relating to the discharge of the duties of the party without first exhausting the avenues for redress provided for in this constitution shall automatically stand expelled from the party on filing such action and no appeal against expulsion as stipulated in this clause shall be entertained until the withdrawal of the action from the court by the member”.
For emphasis, according to Article 20, Subsection 10 of our Party’s Constitution, offences against the Party include the following: ‘Filing an action in a Court of Law against the Party or any of its Officers on any matters relating to the discharge of the duties of the Party without first exhausting all avenues for redress provided for in this Constitution.’ “The Party intends to activate constitutional provisions to penalize such members as their action is capable of undermining the party and hurt the Party’s interest.
Meanwhile, it could be recalled that APC National Chairman, Adams Oshiomhole Registered as suit number HOW/746/2018, the plaintiffs, Macdonald Ogu, Egejuru Tochukwu and Ejike Anosike, equally joined APC chairman of the primary election committee, Alh. Ahmed Gulak and other members of the committee. Governorship aspirants: Prince Eze Madumere, Senator Hope Uzodinma, Sir Jude Ejiogu, Commodore Peter Gbujie, Sir George Eche, Hon. Uche Nwosu, Chris Nlemoha, Dr. Hilary Eke, Hon. Dan Nwafor and Chima Anozie, are all respondents in the suit.
