Convention: APC Chieftains Sue Buni, Want Exercise Stopped

Some aggrieved members of the All Progresives Congress, namely, Suleiman Usman, Muhammed Shehu, Samaila Isahaka, Idris Isah and Audu Emmanuel have filed a suit against the Governor Mai Mala Buni led Caretaker and Extraordinary Convention Planning Committee of the party over plans to hold a national convention in February.

By the suit instituted at the Federal High Court Abuja, dated January 4, 2022, the plaintiffs want an order of the court restraining the Buni-led CECPC from going ahead with the convention.

Joined as defendants in the suit are the APC, Chairman of APC Caretaker/Extraordinary Convention Planning Committee, and the Independent National Electoral Commission.

The case marked FHC/ABJ/CS/3/2022, was filed on behalf of the plaintiffs through their lawyer, Olusola Ojo.

Specifically, the applicants is praying the court for an order stopping the convention on the ground that party congresses are yet to be completed in all the 36 States of the federation.

The plaintiffs raised five issues for the court to determine and also sought eight declarative reliefs.
The plaintiffs among other reliefs are seeking an order restraining the 1st and 2nd defendants from organizing and conducting the national convention of the 1st defendant unless State congresses of the 1st defendant are first concluded in all the 36 States of the federation and the Federal Capital Territory.

“An order directing the 1st and 2nd defendant to first conduct State congresses of the 1st defendant in Anambra state and Zamfara state before national convention of the 1st defendant can be scheduled and conducted.

They also want an order restraining the 3rd defendant (INEC) from giving approval effect to any action of the 1st and 2nd defendant to organize and conduct national convention of the 1st defendant unless State congresses of the 1st defendant are first conducted/concluded in all the 36 States of the federation and the Federal Capital Territory.

No date has been fixed for the hearing of the case.

Meanwhile, it was learnt that all the governors elected on the platform of the APC, known as the Progressives Governors Forum have scheduled a meeting this weekend in Abuja, at the Kebbi State Governors lodge in Asokoro.

Chairman of the forum and Kebbi state governor, Atiku Bagudu, said top on the agenda of the meeting is the national convention of the party fixed for February 2022.

There has been clamour for a change in date of the scheduled national convention.