Alleged ward congress irregularity: Court sets aside October 2 to hear suit against APC

A Federal High Court sitting in Ikoyi, Lagos, South-West Nigeria, presided over by Justice James Tsoho, today gave October 2, 2014 for hearing of the suit initiated against Nigeria’s major opposition political party; the All Progressives Congress (APC), by an aspirant in the just concluded Ward Congress, Mr Bamidele Avoseh who is challenging the result of the congress.

The plaintiff had instituted the suit through his lawyer, Mr Aruwayo Omoniyi on June 5, praying for an order, setting aside the congress, for been irregular. Avoseh also wants the court to issue, "A declaration that the refusal to submit his name as a delegate duly listed to contest the State Delegates Congress election, was contrary to the Electoral Act."

Specifically, the plaintiff in his affidavit argued that the APC guidelines bestowed on the State Congress Committee, the responsibility of displaying the names of candidates vying for party positions in Wards, Local Government, and State Congresses.

He added that the Committee was to announce the names of aspirants within 48 hours before the conduct of election, and forward same to the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) officers in the state, informing them of the venue of the congress.

Avoseh insisted that his name and four others were listed as state congress aspirants from Apapa Ward C in a harmonised list, signed by the second defendant, who is Chairman of the Local Government, with an addition that whereas, the name of the third defendant was listed as an aspirant for the Local Government Area (LGA) Election in Apapa Ward C.

According to the plaintiff, on April 25, the list of all Wards in Apapa LGA was published and delegates tags were released to aspirants, adding that he eventually discovered that the Apapa ward list was missing.

Avoseh who insisted that the delegate's tags were not released to him and others who were duly listed in the harmonised Ward list, added that on the election day on April 26, he was not allowed into the congress venue at the State's Secretariat of the APC, due to known accreditation and availability of tags.

He averred that the third defendant who originally was listed as a LGA aspirant, was then allegedly hand-picked as an aspirant for the state congress election, even without vying for the position.

The plaintiff argued that the third defendant was eventually elected Youth Leader of the APC congress in Lagos. Avoseh consequently prayed the court for a declaration, that the absence of accreditation of aspirants, and the exclusion of his name from the duly signed list, was illegal, unconstitutional, and constituted an affront to due electoral process.

He also wants the court to set aside the results of the LGA and State congresses of the APC in Apapa, Lagos, for been saddled with irregularities, and not representing the intention of the electoral guidelines.

Joined as defendants in the suit include: APC, Mr Joseph Ayodeji, Mr Tayo Sanyaolu, Tunde Balogun, Chairman APC Lagos, National Chairman APC, and the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).