Obey Court Order, Recognise Me As APGA Chairman, Njoku Tells INEC

The national chairman of the All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA), Edozie Njoku yesterday asked the chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Prof Mahmood Yakubu, to recognise him as national chairman.

The national chairman of the party, Chief Edozie Njoku, who disclosed this in Abuja during a press briefing, told the INEC chairman that he risks going to jail for contempt.

He said the court has already given the INEC chairman the order to recognise him (Njoku) as the national chairman.

He said that their return to the court on November 29, 2023, would be sentencing the INEC chairman and the others to jail for failing to obey the court’s order.

The party chair said that Nigerians must stand by the institution of the judiciary to save it from men and women that are committed to compromising justice with the aim to ruin its integrity and sanctity.

He recalled that on November 9, 2023, FCT High Court 40 (Suit No: FCT/HC/CV/4068/2023) (which was where Chief Victor Oye took him to in November 2022 on a criminal charge, alleging that he forged a Supreme Court Judgment and was subsequently remanded at the Suleja Prison for two days) gave Mahmood, 14 days ultimatum to recognise him as national chairman of APGA or risk jail.

He said: “Today is November 24, 2023. That is, 5 days away from November 29, 2023, the adjourned date for Mahmood to be sent to jail. By its judgement, the Court found Mahmood and Oye culpable, but out of leniency gave them a 14 days window to purge themselves or prepare for jail. 

“Rather than do the needful, INEC headed by Yakubu Mahmood in collaboration with Oye have headed to the Appeal Court, boasting that they have procured enough Judges to ensure that the contempt charge dangling over their heads end up as exercise in futility. Should INEC not be immediately recognizing me?

“However, there are far reaching implications to INEC’s posturing and grandstanding. It signals an internment to competent Court orders in Nigeria. INEC, led by Mahmood, simply wants to prove to the world that it has immunity.”

He noted that, at the moment, the Appeal Court Abuja division is saddled with a similar accidental slip which occurred in his matter at the Supreme Court. 

He added, “Our prayers are with them. The Appeal Court is burdened by an overwhelming workload. Therefore, they should be allowed to attend to these sensitive tasks and not engage them on a matter that has already been resolved and settled by the Supreme Court. Nigerians, it is time to stand and be counted. We promise you that APGA leadership under my watch will not derail or drown your hopes and aspirations.”