‘Why Court Removed Umeh From Office’

An Enugu High Court last Friday barred the embattled national chairman of All Progressive Grand Alliance (APGA),Chief Victor Umeh, from parading himself as the national chairman of the party, on the grounds that his four tenure in office alongside other national officers of APGA expired on December 2, 2010.

The Court also voided the national convention of All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA), conducted on February 10, 2011, saying that it was unconstitutional and illegal.

Delivering judgment on the suit filed by one Jude Okuli, challenging the legality of Umeh’s position as National Chairman of the party, the presiding judge and Chief Judge of Enugu State, Justice Innocent Umezulike, held that the National Convention of February 10, 2011, which produced Umeh and 28 other national officers of APGA, did not comply with Article 18 of the constitution of the party.

Umezulike said that the defendant, Umeh, ceased to be the National Chairman of APGA on December 2, 2010 and therefore cannot convoke the National Convention of February10, 2011, which ratified the renewal of his term and that of other national officers for another four years.

“The APGA constitution says that the convention must be fixed by the National Executive but this was not done. Under the APGA constitution, the election of party officers must be by secret ballot, but this was not done.

The convention of February 10, 2011 merely ratified the decision of the National Executive by a voice vote.

“I agree that the court should not interfere in the internal affair of a party. But, that is when things are done properly. When things are not done properly, I am of the view that the court should interfere. The democratic process is veering into a state of anomie. The court has a duty to ensure that the rule of law prevails”.