The Supreme Court explained the simmering debates and misunderstandings surrounding its ruling on the All Progressive Grand Alliance leadership issue on Thursday in Abuja (APGA).
The Apex Court ruled that Edozie Njoku was never constituted a party to the proceedings or the judgement and that it was between one Chief Jude Okeke, APGA, and three other respondents when it was rendered on October 14, 2021.
According to a statement made by the Court's Director of Press and Information, Dr. Akande Festus, Chief Edozie Njoku, who requested to be included in the appeal, was not included and was not a party to the decision that ended the leadership issue as a result.
The statement warned that any judgment order containing parties different from the parties on record did not emanate from the Supreme Court and should therefore be disregarded.
The statement read in part “Our attention has been drawn to the misconception being peddled by some members of All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA) regarding the judgment of the Supreme Court in Appeal Number: SC/CV/687/2021: Chief Jude Okeke Versus ALL PROGRESSIVES GRAND ALLIANCE (APGA) & 3 ORS, delivered on 14th October, 2021, which is causing confusion within the party fold; and by extension, the public space.
“To keep the record straight, we wish to state that the appeal in respect of party leadership of the All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA), which was filed in the Supreme Court against the judgment of Court of Appeal, Kano Division by Chief Jude Okeke, as SC/CV/686/2021 and SC/CV/687/2021, contained the following parties: Chief Jude Okeke (Appellant) and All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA), Chief Victor Ike Oye; Alhaji Rabiu Garba Aliu; Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) as 1st to 4th respondents respectfully.
“It is worthy of note that the appeal arose from a Primary Election conducted by the party on the 31st day of May, 2019 at Owerri, Imo State, in which the 3rd Respondent (Rabiu Garba Aliu) was elected Deputy National Chairman (North).
“The said 3rd respondent (Alhaji Rabiu Garba Aliyu), by Originating Summons, commenced an action claiming among other reliefs, to be automatically recognized as the Chairman of the Party on the ground that the Chairman who was then suspended had been replaced by someone other than him..
“The trial Court dismissed the suit and confirmed Chief Jude Okeke as the Party’s Chairman.
“However, the 3rd respondent, unsatisfied with the judgment, appealed to the Court of Appeal, Kano Judicial Division.
“At that point, the 1st and 2nd respondents (APGA and Victor Ike Oye) sought for and were granted leave to be joined as interested parties at the Court of Appeal.
“However, the Court of Appeal dismissed the appeal for lack of jurisdiction as all the issues in contention took place in Imo State and not Jigawa State.
“Being unsatisfied with the judgment of the Court of Appeal, Chief Jude Okeke appealed to the Supreme Court against the aforementioned parties.
“It was at this stage that Chief Edozie Njoku brought an application to be joined as interested party in the matter.
“However, on the date of the hearing, the whole appeal was dismissed and all the motions for joinder were struck out, having been overtaken by events.
“That decision was based on the premise that such action had been severally adjudged to be unjusticeable by virtue of the varied subsisting Supreme Court judgments in respect of intra-party disputes.
“In view of the foregoing, we wish to make it abundantly clear that the Judgment of this Honourable Court contained only the Parties listed above; and that Chief Edozie Njoku was not added as a party at any point.
“Thus, any judgment order containing parties different from the aforementioned did not emanate from the Supreme Court and should therefore be disregarded.”