Contrary to expectations that the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) would hold its national convention in the next two weeks, emerging facts on Thursday, suggested many factors would hinder the exercise.
The Governor Mai Buni-led Caretaker Extraordinary Convention Planning Committee (CECPC) had scheduled Saturday, the 26th of March convention for the purpose of electing the party’s national officials.
Blueprint reliably gathered, Thursday morning, however, that aside from the in-house crisis bedeviling the ruling party, legal and technical impediments stand mulishly against the national convention.
Aside many court suits emanating from the conduct of state congresses, it was gathered that a subsisting court order restraining the party from conducting its national convention, has not been vacated nor appealed against.
A Bwari division of the High Court of the Federal Capital Territory, in suit number FCT/HC/CV/2958/2021 had restrained the ruling party from holding its convention, until a substantive suit has been heard and determined.
The suit, filed by Hon. Salisu Umoru had the APC, the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) and Governor Buni, as respondents.
“That the 1st Defendant/Respondent can only conduct its national convention after the hearing and determination of the substantive suit pending before this Honourable Court,” the court order seen by this reporter stated.
Justice Bello Kawu, also ruled that, “in the interest of justice, accelerated hearing of the substantive suit is hereby ordered.
“That this matter is hereby adjourned to the 10th day of January 2022 for hearing of the substantive suit at High Court No. 15, Kubwa, FCT-Abuja.”
It was also gathered, that the court had recently adjourned hearing of the substantive matter to March 30, when the party shall know fate on whether to go ahead with its national convention or not.
This development has made some governors and leaders of the party unsettled.
The implications of this unappealed judgement and with the limited timeframe given by the INEC’s guidelines, would spell doom for the party during the 2023 general elections.
