APGA crisis: Court gives INEC, Oye, 14 days to resolve contempt charge

The High Court of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) sitting in Bwari, yesterday, ordered Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Prof. Yakubu Mahmood and former factional Chairman of the All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA), Victor Oye, to purge themselves of contempt of court within 14 days or face the full wrath of the law.

Justice Mohammed Madugu gave the order in a judgment on a committal proceeding (Form 49) which was drawn from a motion on notice, marked FCT/HC/CV/4068/2023, filed against Oye and INEC Chairman by Camaru Lateef Ogidan (the National Vice Chairman, South West geopolitical zone of APGA), Rabiu Mustapha (the National Welfare Officer of APGA), two APGA National Working Committee members who emerged at the APGA Owerri convention of May 31, 2019, under the leadership of the National Chairman of APGA, Edozie Njoku.

By the committal charge, the applicants had sought an order of the court to commit the INEC Chairman and Oye to prison for disobeying the valid order of the court made on May 10, which had restrained Oye and APGA from conducting ward, local council, state congresses and convention.

The motion was filed on behalf of the APGA officials by Michael Ajara and Panam Ntui.

Justice Madugu had on May 10, 2023, ordered the INEC Chairman and Oye, parties in the suit, “to maintain status quo ante bellum” pending the hearing of the notice of preliminary objection filed on May 9, 2023 by the first defendant/applicant (Oye).

Despite the order of the court, Oye went ahead and conducted the congresses under the supervision of INEC later in May.

In his judgment, Justice Madugu held that, having not appealed the order made on May 10, the INEC Chairman and Oye “were in contempt of court.”

He said: “A court does not make an order in vain. A court order must be disobeyed. Disobedience to a valid court order undermines the integrity and sanctity of the court.

“This insanity of flouting court order must stop, and it cannot continue. The disobedience to the order made by this court on May 10 is undoubtedly an affront on the sanctity of the court.”

The judge, consequently, ordered the first respondent (Oye) and second respondent (INEC chairman) to purge themselves of contempt of court within 14 days or face the full wrath of the court.