A COURT order which restrained the All Progressives Congress (APC) from holding its national convention on March 26 has been vacated.
Justice Bello Kawu of a Federal Capital Territory (FCT) High Court vacated the order on Friday.
The suit was instituted in September 2021 by Salisu Umoru, an aggrieved member of the ruling party.
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Umoru had asked the court to restrain the APC, the Mai Mala Buni-led caretaker committee and the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) from organising any convention until the determination of the suit.
He had further sought an “Interlocutory injunction restraining the 1st and 2nd defendants/respondent (APC and Governor Buni), their allies, agents, representatives, associates or whoever is acting for them or through them from organising, holding or conducting the national convention of the APC in January and February 2022 or any other date either before or after pending the hearing and determination of the substantive suit”.
The court had on November 18, 2021, granted the plaintiff’s prayers, thereby restraining the party from holding the national convention until the determination of the suit.
However, ruling on an application filed by the APC to set aside the November 18, 2021 ruling, the judge held that a member of a political party cannot sue the party.
He said the order made on November 18, 2021 has been overtaken by a recent Supreme Court judgement on a similar matter.
The court fixed March 30 for the substantive suit.
The development means that, barring unforeseen circumstances, the coast is now clear for the APC to hold its national convention on March 26.
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