The National Chairman of the All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA), Chief Edozie Njoku, has cautioned the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to desist from acts capable of jeopardizing next year’s election.
The APGA national chairman warned that if the commission continues to recognise Chief Victor Oye as the National Chairman of the party, it might derail the next election.
Njoku stated this on Tuesday in Abuja while briefing journalists on the clarification letter written by Justice Mary Odili rtd on the APGA crisis.
There has been a tussle between Chief Victor Oye and Chief Edozie Njoku over who is the substantive national chairman of APGA.
The tussle had led to a ruling of the Supreme Court recognizing Chief Njoku but the judgement was misinterpreted and INEC continued to recognized Chief Oye and his faction as the National Leadership of the party.
However, to set the records straight of the Supreme Court ruling on the APGA crisis, Justice Odili the lead justice responded to a letter written to her by Chief Njoku.
In the letter entitled: “Re: Request for a clarification letter as regards to the 9th of May 2022, correction of name by Your Lordship on the Supreme Court Appeal No:SC/CV/687/2021, addressed to Chief Edozie Njoku as National Chairman and copied to the Chief Justice of Nigeria, Justice Kayode Ariwoola and four other Justices.
Justice Odili said, “I indeed recall your Ietter dated 6 May, 2022 to me as the Presiding Justice of the panel and the other four Justices which requested for correction of the 14 October, 2021, Supreme Court Judgment, wherein the name of Chief Victor Oye was erroneously inserted instead of the name of Chief Edozie Njoku.
“It is to be placed on record that I corrected the mistake by replacing Chief Victor Oye’s name with that of Chief Edozie Njoku on Paragraph 1 of page 13 of the 14 October, 2021 judgment.
“The correction was made having cognizance that on the day of delivery of the judgment being 14 October, 2021 by a slip of the pen and tongue, the name of Chief Victor Oye was brought in. This error was pointed out to me by other members of the panel who reminded me that Chief Victor Oye was not a party to the appeal or the proceedings which emanated from the Jigawa High court.
“However, in the course of the trajectory of errors, the name of Chief Victor Oye kept recurring in the record of the Judgment instead of the right party to the proceeding, Chief Edozie Njoku.
“It is to be noted that the 1st September, 2022 press statement released by Dr. Festus Akande, Director of Media Press and Information of the Supreme Court which denied all the CTCS of the amended Judgment issued to Chief Edozie Njoku, clearly stemmed from the misconception of the true position.
“By this clarification, it is to be noted that Chief Victor Oye was not a party to the proceedings and the proper party for whom the judgment and orders referred is Chief Edozie Njoku. To further buttress the point, I would hereunder restate the parties to the appeal and judgment of 14 October, 2021 thus.”
“She gave the parties in the Appeal to include: Chief Judge Okeke Appellant, All Progressives Grand Alliance, Chief Edozie Njoku and members of the NWC elected on 31st May, 2019, Alhaji Rabiu Garba Aliyu and Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) as respondents.
Justice Odili further stated in the letter, “I know for a fact that my erstwhile colleagues and members of the panel of Justices namely: Kudirat Motonmori Olatokunbo Kekere-Ekun, Mohammed Lawal Garba, Ibrahim Mohammed Musa Saulawa, Emmanuel Akomaye Agim JSC, would confirm all that I have stated.
“I hope the situation is clarified and the matter put to rest.”
Her letter was also copied to: K.M.O. Kekere-Ekun, JSC Mohammcd Lawal Garba, JSC lbrahim Mohammed Saulawa, JSC Emmanuel Akomaye Agim, JSC.
Njoku, speaking with journalists, asked those that emerged as candidates’ under his APGA leadership to continue with their campaigns, why he warned the INEC not to continue on action that would scuttle the general elections next year.
On why the letter was not copied to INEC, Njoku said it was not the responsibility of the retired Justice of the Supreme Court to do since she is retired.
According to him, the Supreme Court would communicate the electoral body appropriately.
He expressed confidence that INEC would cease to relate, communicate or recognise Chief Victor Oye as the APGA National Chairman.