A Grade 1 Area Court sitting in Abuja on Tuesday restrained Chief Ralph Okey Nwosu and others identified as members of his factional leadership of the Inter Party Advisory Council (IPAC) from acting, functioning, or parading themselves as members of the Central Management Committee of the Council.
The Court also restrained them from conducting any election into the office of the National Chairman or President of IPAC or any other offices.
Ruling in an Exparte Motion filed by Dr. Leonard Nzenwa, the National Chairman of AAC Party and the Court recognized President of IPAC, the Court also restrained the Okey Nwosu led Factional group from giving effect to the purported inauguration of a Central Management Committee by Mr.Peter Ameh, the former chairman of IPAC.
The Court further restrained Mr.Peter Ameh who was listed in the Suit as the 1st Defendant from exercising any power, function or duty of the National Chairman or President of the IPAC or doing any other act whatsoever relating or pertaining to the office of the National Chairman or President of IPAC.
In the Monday ruling delivered by Hon. M. A. Sadiq, the presiding judge, also granted an order for substituted service of all the process either by delivering same at their last known addresses or through their Whatsapp Numbers.
It would be recalled that IPAC was embroiled in crisis following the deregistration of 74 political parties by INEC in February. The remaining 18 political parties elected Dr. Leonard Nzenwa to lead them pending the conduct of full elections.
A competent High Court in Abuja also affirmed Leonard as the Chairman of IPAC and gave him full powers to lead the organisation including any future transition.
However, Mr. Peter Ameh whose party, Progressive Peoples Alliance was one of the deregistered Parties refused to recognize the election and went ahead to inaugurate the Okey Nwosu Central Management Committee from which the Court has now restrained them from parading or acting as members.
Earlier, an FCT High Court had in another Suit recognized and validated the position of Dr. Leonard Nzenwa as the duly elected leader of the IPAC.
Counsel to Nzenwa, Mr. Chibuzor Ezike told reporters that if Peter Ameh continues to disobey the orders of Court, they would move the court to commence criminal trial against him.
He said a deregistered party that won an Appeal which is currently been challenged by INEC at the Supreme Court and have not been listed as a registered party does not have the legal right to call itself a political party, carry out the functions of a registered party or participate in choosing leadership for IPAC until the Supreme court decides the pending Appeal and an enforcement is carried out either by INEC or the Court.
(VANGUARD)
