The High Court of Sagbama Division sitting in Yenagoa, Bayelsa State capital Friday ordered the immediate reinstatement of the sacked Chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in the state, Chief Tiwei Orunimighe.
The reinstated Party Chairman, Chief Tiwei Orunimighe, had in suit number SHC/12/2018 dragged the APC, the party’s National Chairman, Chief John Oyegun and the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to court challenging his removal over alleged misconduct and anti-party activities.
The claimant on April 26 filed a motion exparte praying the court to issue an order directing the defendants to recognise and deal with him as the chairman of APC pending the hearing and determination of the motion on notice.
He also sought an order directing the defendants to accord him with all the rights and privileges as the APC chairman as well as order directing that nobody apart from him should exercise and perform the functions of the APC chairman.
Ruling on the motion exparte, the presiding judge of the High Court Sagbama Division, Justice E.G. Omukoro granted all the reliefs sought by Oruminighe.
Omukoro in his judgement, a copy of which was made available to newsmen, said: “I am persuaded and inclined to grant the reliefs sought as they are preservative in nature and intended to protect the applicant’s lawfully and judicially recognised office from threats”
The court fixed May 10 for hearing of the motion on notice.
It was gathered that the loyalists of the reinstated Party Chairman,Chief Tiwei Orunimighe are gearing up to move back to the party secretariat along the Mbiama/Yenagoa road and occupy it till the expiration of his tenure.
Orunimighe is expected to commence the processes of conducting the ward, local and state Congresses of the Party.
Blueprint Newspaper noted that the Party secretariat showed heavy presence of armed security personnel to forestall crises.
The Acting Party Chairman, Deacon Joseph Fafi, who by the Court judgement was removed, also confirmed the reported exparte motion granted by the Court but said “the State APC have not been served.”
It would be recalled that the National Working Committee (NWC) of APC had expelled Orunimighe following allegations of anti-party activities and appointed Josef Fafi the acting Chairman of the party in the state.
The committee also suspended the Deputy Chairman of the party, Mr. Eddy Julius and the state party Secretary, Marlin Daniel.
Aggrieved by the action of the party, Orunimighe dragged the APC, the party’s National Chairman, Chief John Oyegun and the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to court challenging his removal.
