The Court of Appeal sitting in Abuja on Thursday dismissed the appeal filed by the All Progressives Congress challenging the decision of a Federal High Court which had ordered it to swear in the Stephen Leo Ntukekpu-led Akwa-Ibom State Executive of the party.
The Court presided over by Justice Haruna Tsamani with Justice Ugochukwu Ogakwu and Justice Bature Gafai said the dismissal was based on the application by the Counsel to APC, Niyi Akintola, informing the court of his client’s decision to abide by the judgment delivered by Justice Taiwo Taiwo of the Federal High Court Abuja Division.
He further informed the court that his client, the APC has enforced the judgment of the lower court by swearing in Stephen Leo Nkukekpo as the Akwa-Ibom State Chairman of the party and the other plaintiffs in the judgment of the lower court as the executive members of the party in the state.
Counsel to the plaintiffs, Chief Umeh Kalu, did not oppose the withdrawal and likewise counsel to the Independent National Electoral Commission, Umar Farouk.
Reacting to the judgment, Nkukekpo hailed the APC’s decision to withdraw the appeal and enforce the judgment of the lower court by swearing in his executive members.
He also hailed the Appeal Court for dismissing the appeal just as he extended his hands of fellowship to the party members in the state, especially the aggrieved ones.
The former Secretary of the Caretaker Committee of the Party John James Akpan Udoudehe was at the appeal court for the judgment.
The PUNCH had earlier reported that a Federal High Court sitting in Abuja had on March 17th sacked the Augustine Ekanem-led leadership of the APC in Akwa-Ibom State and declared the Ntukekpo-led leadership of the party as the authentic leadership of the APC in the State.
The court presided over by Justice Taiwo Taiwo also ordered the party to swear Nkukekpu-led exco of the party.
Justice Taiwo Taiwo had in his judgment held that the inuaguration of the Augustine Ekanem-led state exco of the party was an act of illegality.
In their stead, the court equally ordered the party to swear in Uduakobong Peter Udoh and Uko Obonodo Ini as the state Secretary and woman leader of the state executive Council.
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