Appeal Court overturns judgment sacking Delta APC Exco

A Court of Appeal sitting in Benin, the Edo State Capital has
affirmed the Prophet Jones Erue-led Executive of the All
Progressives Congress in Delta State thereby vacating an earlier
judgment by an Asaba High Court which nullified the congress that
produced the executive.

The court, in a ruling delivered on Wednesday by Justice M A.A
Edumein on behalf of the three-man panel justices, said the Chief
Adolo Okotie-Eboh-led faction of the party failed to seek internal
mechanism in resolving their grievances before heading to court
following the outcome of the April 2014 congress of the party held
in Asaba, the Delta State Capital.

Justice M. N. Obi of a Delta State High Court, sitting in Asaba,
had in a judgment in 2016 nullified the congress that produced the
Jones Erue-led executive of the APC in a suit filed by Chief Adolo
Okotie-Eboh, who contested the legality of the congress in April
2014.

But Justice Edumein in Wednesday ruling said the litigants
failed to follow the laid down guideline in the party constitution
in seeking redress whilst the case was being struck out because it
was premature.

The party in a statement on Thursday announcing the judgment
said the judgment would put to an end the long-drawn legal battle
which had factionalised the party in the state, noting that it was
a victory for all members of the party including the litigants.

Erue, in a statement signed by the party Acting State Publicity
Secretary, Engr. Leonard Obibi, called on party faithful to put
their personal differences outside and work for the unity and
victory of the party in forthcoming elections in the state.

It read, “The Court of Appeal Benin City sat in judgment, 5th
July 2017, over a pending appeal challenging the ruling of Federal
High Court, Warri which vacated the APC Delta State Exco led by
Prophet Jones Ode Erue, and also authorised a repeat Congress.

“Prophet Jones Erue wishes to first and foremost thank God for
the outcome of this long-drawn case which for years now had cast a
blight on the legal standing of the State Executive Committee.
Notwithstanding this noble and just outcome, Prophet Jones Erue
also wishes to emphasise that this result only serves as an impetus
to refocus and harness the strengths of the party into a formidable
organ that all its members will be proud of.

“To this end, Prophet Jones Erue has advised all party members
to note that with this judgment, “there is no victor, and no
vanquished”‘; and that “it is now time to pull our internal
capacity together, as this will be necessary to wrestle power from
the ruling party in the State in forthcoming elections.”

Erue, while commending the judges for the judgment, added “today
is a day for mutual forgiveness; and it is important to begin a new
phase that will erase divisions in our midst while preparing all
our members to redirect their energies towards our common
interests.”

A Court of Appeal sitting in Benin, the Edo State Capital has
affirmed the Prophet Jones Erue-led Executive of the All
Progressives Congress in Delta State thereby vacating an earlier
judgment by an Asaba High Court which nullified the congress that
produced the executive.

The court, in a ruling delivered on Wednesday by Justice M A.A
Edumein on behalf of the three-man panel justices, said the Chief
Adolo Okotie-Eboh-led faction of the party failed to seek internal
mechanism in resolving their grievances before heading to court
following the outcome of the April 2014 congress of the party held
in Asaba, the Delta State Capital.

Justice M. N. Obi of a Delta State High Court, sitting in Asaba,
had in a judgment in 2016 nullified the congress that produced the
Jones Erue-led executive of the APC in a suit filed by Chief Adolo
Okotie-Eboh, who contested the legality of the congress in April
2014.

But Justice Edumein in Wednesday ruling said the litigants
failed to follow the laid down guideline in the party constitution
in seeking redress whilst the case was being struck out because it
was premature.

The party in a statement on Thursday announcing the judgment
said the judgment would put to an end the long-drawn legal battle
which had factionalised the party in the state, noting that it was
a victory for all members of the party including the litigants.

Erue, in a statement signed by the party Acting State Publicity
Secretary, Engr. Leonard Obibi, called on party faithful to put
their personal differences outside and work for the unity and
victory of the party in forthcoming elections in the state.

It read, “The Court of Appeal Benin City sat in judgment, 5th
July 2017, over a pending appeal challenging the ruling of Federal
High Court, Warri which vacated the APC Delta State Exco led by
Prophet Jones Ode Erue, and also authorised a repeat Congress.

“Prophet Jones Erue wishes to first and foremost thank God for
the outcome of this long-drawn case which for years now had cast a
blight on the legal standing of the State Executive Committee.
Notwithstanding this noble and just outcome, Prophet Jones Erue
also wishes to emphasise that this result only serves as an impetus
to refocus and harness the strengths of the party into a formidable
organ that all its members will be proud of.

“To this end, Prophet Jones Erue has advised all party members
to note that with this judgment, “there is no victor, and no
vanquished”‘; and that “it is now time to pull our internal
capacity together, as this will be necessary to wrestle power from
the ruling party in the State in forthcoming elections.”

Erue, while commending the judges for the judgment, added “today
is a day for mutual forgiveness; and it is important to begin a new
phase that will erase divisions in our midst while preparing all
our members to redirect their energies towards our common
interests.”