Chief Victor Oye’s recent victory at the Kano Appeal Court in the lingering legal battle for the national chairmanship of the All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA) is temporary.

This is because it is wrong after holding that the main issue before the court is “APGA national leadership” for the same Appeal Court, Kano Division to hold that Jigawa High Court exceeded its territorial jurisdiction!

APGA as a national party and APGA leadership leading all APGA members throughout the Federation, how can the court justify its position that the Jigawa High Court was “dabbling into APGA matters that arose outside Jigawa State?”

Certainly, the issue of who is the authentic National Leadership or National Chairman of APGA is neither an Anambra State local matter nor Jigawa State local matter, rather it is a national matter which high courts in every state of Nigeria (including Anambra State and Jigawa State) have territorial jurisdiction to hear and adjudicate. If the case or issue before the court is a pre-election matter or dispute concerning the nomination of governorship candidate of APGA for Anambra State guber election, certainly Jigawa State High Court lacks territorial jurisdiction to hear the pre-election matter.

From the reliable reports so far, it is also wrong for the same Appeal Court, Kano Division which had earlier in the same appeal case in its ruling dismissed a motion for joinder as a necessary party filed and argued by Chief Edozie Njoku held that the case before the Appeal court is A PRE-ELECTION MATTER and thereby held that Njoku’s suit having been filed out of time in a pre-election matter is liable to be dismissed, Haba! for the same court to turn round to avoid visiting Victor Oye’s Appeal suit with the same dismissal of his appeal for being also filed out of time thereby keeping alive Victor Oye’s appeal on the reason the case before it is NOT A PRE-ELECTION MATTER! One therefore wonders how Victor Oye's case can survive at the Supreme Court.

•Barr (Dr.) Jezie Ekejiuba is President, Anambra State Association of Registered Voters (ASARVOTE).

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