From Blessing Ibunge, Port Harcourt
An Appeal Court sitting in Port Harcourt, Rivers State, has adjourned till Monday July 13, this year to hear written addresses on Appeal filed by one Okirigwe Jason Obi and another against Dele Moses and others, challenging the decision of the Rivers State High Court on their eligibility to participate in the State All Progressives Congress.
Okirigwe and other had filed the appeal in CA/PH/122m/20, challenging the judgement of Justice George Omereji which states that only those who bought forms in May 2018 were eligible to participate in the party’s congresses in the state.
When the matter was mentioned in court on Monday, two motions were tendered. They include, Motion Exparte filed on June 19, 2020 for order of accelerated hearing of application and Motion filed same day for leave to appeal as persons having interest in the judgement of the court.
Chief Emenike Ebete represented the appellant in the matter while Mr Henry Bello stood as counsel for the 10 respondents in the suit.
Bello told the court that he had filed counter affidavit of 9 paragraphs on the motion by the appellant, while Ebete also noted the response from the respondents.
Meanwhile, the lead judge of three man panel, Justice I.M. M. Salauwa, after noting the matter as internal issue of the party, adjourned till Monday, July 13 for written addresses.
Similarly, the court has also adjourned till Wednesday July 15, 2020, to hear the suit in CA/PH/124m/20, by Hon Victor Giadom against Dele Moses, challenging a Rivers State High Court ruling which disqualified him to hold the office of Acting National Chairman of APC.
Speaking with counsel for APC, Emenike Ebete outside the courtroom, he explained that “Some members of APC, Okirigwe and another who bought forms in December 2019 when the party ordered for congresses that were aborted to be conducted in same December. And by the judgement of the Rivers State High Court delivered by Justice Omereji, that said it was only those who bought forms in May 2018 that were eligible to contest for the election.
But those who bought the forms in 2019 were affected by that judgement and they have come to this Court to Appeal the judgement delivered by the state High Court on June 9, 2020.
“The court has ordered that since parties have joined issues, filed our counter affidavit, that we should put our written addresses in writing, file between 24hours each and come back on Monday, July 13 for hearing.
In the case between Giadom against Moses, Ebete also explained that “Second case is an Appeal brought by Victor Giadom against the decision of the High Court in Rivers State that restrain him from acting as the Acting National Chairman of the All Progressives Congress on the basis that he had resigned his appointment when he went to contest as the Deputy Governor of Rivers State.
“That appeal is what has brought us to this Court and we are representing the APC as respondence”.
