From Blessing Ibunge, Port Harcourt
Justice George Omereji of the Rivers State High Court in Port Harcourt has struck out a suit on contempt of court proceeding filed by Igo Aguma against the Caretaker Committee Chairman of the All Progressives Congress, Sokonte Davies, Isaac Ogbogbula, Andrew Uchendu and others.
Earlier when the matter was mentioned in court, counsel for the respondents, Collins Dike, informed the court that he was yet to be served the court processes.
Following the absence of the complainant Counsel in court, Dike asked the court to strike out the matter for lack of prove of Service after several adjournments for the same reason.
However, in his ruling on the submission of the defense counsel, Justice Omereji said the appallent counsel, Kingsley Oru failed to serve the respondents the court processes and thereby stuck out the matter for lack of prove of service.
Oru had in the last sitting told the court that he will produce the proves of service on the next adjourned date but was not present in court which led to the position of the court in the ruling.
The trial judge also awarded the sum of N50, 000.00 as a cost to the respondents for not obeying the court order by the appallent counsel.
Speaking with newsmen outside the courtroom, counsel for the respondents, Collins Dike commended the ruling of the court in the matter.
Dike said he urged the court to strike out the case due to unseriousness in the case by appallent, adding that no proof of service on the originating summon was seen in the court record
It would be recalled that the same court in June this year declared Hon. Igo Aguma, the Acting Chairman of the All Progressives Congress in the state for a period of three months before they will constitute a new leadership of the party.
Aguma, who was a former lawmaker at the House of Representative, had filed the suit challenging the dissolution of his led leadership by the party and the new constituted Caretaker Committee. He said the action by the party leadership is contempt of court proceeding.