A former Enugu State Chairman of the All Progressives Congress, Dr Ben Nwoye, has warned APC leaders against making remarks capable of causing chaos within the party.
Nwoye, a lawyer, was reacting to a statement made by the South-East National Vice Chairman of the APC, Dr Ijeomah Arodiogbu, which discredited an ex parte order that restrained the state Chairman of the party, Barr Ugochukwu Agballah, and other state party executives from parading themselves in those capacities.
Nwoye said Arodiogbu, as a national leader, bore the responsibility of fostering unity among party members, adding that statements inciting divisions had no place in a progressive democracy.
According to him, no one is above the law, hence Arodiogbu should be cautious to avoid declarations that contradict legal rulings.
Quoting him, “When a political leader assumes the role of a judge, and makes statements that defy legal tenets, it raises significant concerns.
“Obeying the law must not be contingent on personal gains; we are obliged to adhere to it irrespective of whose interests are at stake.
“As a national vice chairman, Dr Arodiogbu is obligated to embrace a paternal role, whether he acknowledges it or not. It is neither his prerogative nor right to interpret constitutional matters unilaterally.
“The court has already decreed that Ugochukwu Agballah and certain others are no longer entitled to execute their duties, and they must refrain from accessing APC property. Any pronouncement from a leader like Arodiogbu serves only to sow seeds of anarchy in Enugu State.”
Our correspondent reports that APC’s South-East Zone lodged a complaint against Justice CVC Ezeugwu of the Enugu State High Court with the National Judicial Council.
“The party accused Justice Ezeugwu of issuing the ex parte order restraining its state chairman, Ugochukwu Agballah, and 10 other party officials from functioning in their official capacities without proper notifications.
Its national Vice Chairman, South-East Zone, Dr Ijeomah Arodiogbu, claimed APC was not a party to the suit (E/548M/2024: Nwafor Alphonsus Onyeachonam & 4 ORS. VS. Hon. Ugochukwu Agballah & 10 ORS) and had not been served with the ex parte interim order.
“The party further stated that the Independent National Electoral Commission was notably absent from the list of respondents in the suit.
Arodiogbu said, “The party has petitioned the NJC against Justice CVC Ezeugwu for giving an ex parte order to persons and offices unknown to the APC in a matter where the APC is not a legal party, without putting the party on notice as required by the rules of court and as directed by the NJC.
“The party hereby informs the general public to disregard all media reports that the said order is directed to the All Progressives Congress, its offices and bankers.
“Under the Electoral Act 2022 INEC as a statutory respondent/defendant in every political case was not joined as a party in the said suit.”