Politics
Restraining Order On APGA Stays – Court
An Enugu High Court on Monday
refused to vacate an interim order restraining the embattled factional chairman
of All Progressive Grand Alliance (APGA), Chief Victor Umeh, from taking steps
to convoke a national, state, or local government executive committee meeting
of the party.
As a result of the refusal of the
court, presided over by the Enugu State Chief Judge, Justice Innocent Umezuike
, supporters of Chief Umeh who stormed
the court in their numbers wept openly shortly after Justice Umezurike refused
to vacate the interim injunction. Justice Umezurike slammed
the interim order against Umeh following a suit filed by one Ichie Jude
Okoli, a member of the party in Enugu, complaining that the actions of the
embattled chairman, who he alleged was occupying the office of the National
Chairman of APGA illegally, saying that such is capable of causing anarchy and
chaos in the party.
The court, he explained, granted
the interim injunction on the ground that so many legal weighty issues
bordering on locu standi, jurisdiction of the court, abuse of court process,
and whether the suit was a domestic political matter, had been raised.
Delivering ruling on a preliminary
objection brought before him earlier by Umeh’s counsel, Patrick Ikweato
(SAN), Justice Umezuike refused to vacate the interim order on the ground that
Umeh had already approached the Court of Appeal sitting in Enugu asking it to
vacate the same interim order.
The Enugu State Chief Judge
further explained that the Court of Appeal, which he noted was a superior
court, would not have anything to adjudicate on if he decides to vacate the
order.
He, therefore, refused to vacate
the interim order which he granted in July 25,
and ought to have expired on 31st July, 2012.
He explained that the court would
continue to entertain the originating summon, which seeks
interpretation of some sections of the constitution of APGA and
adjourned the case to September 24, for
final arguments in the originating summons.
Earlier before the day’s
verdict, Umeh had told the court through his counsel that the plaintiff lacked
the locus standi on the matter, adding that the court equally lacked the
jurisdiction to entertain the suit, saying it was entirely a domestic matter of
APGA.
He also argued that even if
the plaintiff was a member of APGA, his locus standi on the matter was still in
doubt, insisting that for the fact that APGA was not made a party in the suit,
it should be discountenanced.
The plaintiff in his counter
motion, submitted that Okoli had nothing against APGA as a party, adding
“rather we are calling on my Lord to interpret provisions of the constitution
of APGA as it relates to the plaintiff and the defendant”.
He told the court that
Umeh’s tenure as National Chairman of APGA expired since 2010, adding that the
embattled chairman had continued to remain in office illegally without a valid
convention.
The Commission disclosed the figure in its weekly update for week 14 of the second phase of the exercise, which ended on Friday, April 17, 2026.
According to the breakdown, 2,259,288 Nigerians completed their registration through the online pre-registration portal, while 1,489,416 finalized their registration physically at designated centres nationwide.
INEC noted that the figures remain preliminary and are subject to further verification and data cleaning processes to ensure accuracy ahead of the consolidation of the national voter register.
With the conclusion of the registration phase, the Commission has now shifted focus to the display of the Register of Voters for Claims and Objections, a statutory stage aimed at strengthening the credibility and integrity of the voters register.
The display exercise is scheduled to hold from April 29 to May 5, 2026, across designated centres nationwide, providing citizens the opportunity to verify their details and raise objections where necessary.
The Commission urged all registered voters from the concluded phase to take advantage of the exercise to confirm the accuracy of their information and assist in identifying ineligible entries, including duplicate registrations, deceased persons, and non-citizens.
INEC explained that the Continuous Voter Registration exercise is being conducted in phases, with the first phase running from August 18 to December 10, 2025, while the second phase commenced on January 5, 2026 and ended on April 17, 2026.
The Commission further stated that the date for the commencement of the third phase will be announced in due course.
Reaffirming its commitment to credible elections, INEC stressed that maintaining a clean and accurate voter register remains central to ensuring free, fair, and transparent electoral processes in Nigeria.
The Executive Director of IPC, Mr Lanre Arogundade, informed the journalists that the dialogue was sponsored by the European Union, under the auspices of the EU-Support to Democratic Governance in Nigeria (EU-SDGN II), Component 4: Support to Media.
According to the veteran media practitioner, the programme is aimed at strengthening the capacity of the media to promote credible elections through factual, accurate and fair reporting.
He explained that the programme is part of a broader five-year intervention designed to support democratic governance and improve the role of the media in Nigeria’s electoral process, stressing that fact-checking and inclusive reporting are critical responsibilities for journalists, especially during electioneering.
He described the media as a central role agent with regard to upholding transparency and accountability in the democratic process.
A resource person and Director of Journalism Clinic, Lagos, Mr Taiwo Obe, enjoined journalists to embrace the evolving technology so that they would not be in the backwaters in the practice of the profession.
He advised journalists not to downplay Artificial Intelligence (AI) in their bid to remain relevant in the media environment by being abreast of the changing patterns of news consumption.
The journalism teacher explained that with digital transformation of the media industry, it had become imperative for journalists to constantly upgrade and update their skills, stressing the fundamental place of attitude and self-development and underscored the dynamic nature of media consumption in the digital age, thereby compelling journalists to embrace tools and platforms, but without much reliance on AI.
In his lecture, a Professor of Mass Communication at the Federal University Oye-Ekiti (FUOYE), Adebola Aderibigbe, advised journalists in Ekiti State to ensure that coverage of the upcoming governorship poll is issue-based rather than dwelling on personalities.
He added that sensationalism should not occupy the front-burner of any discussions concerning the 2026 election, admonishing that sustenance of democracy is anchored on responsible journalism.
”Journalists must prioritise accuracy, fairness and balance in their reports by verifying facts and giving all parties involved in political matters the opportunity to present their views”, he said.
According to the university don, the election will not be defined by personalities, but by issues. ”Let issues be the pivotal ring upon which every discussion should be made. Sensationalisation of issues should not be the bedrock of discussions in the 2026 election”, he added.
“Do not hear from Party A without hearing from Party B, otherwise the report will be skewed to one side and once issues of elections are skewed, problems will naturally arise”, he stressed.