The All progressives Congress (APC), Enugu State Chapter has stated that it shall not be participating in the Enugu State Local Government and Councils Elections scheduled for next month.
This was made known in a statement made available to The Slides on Tuesday by the State Chairman, Hon. Deacon Okey Ogbodo, after the meeting of the State Working Committee. According to him, APC will not engage in any elections at the Local Government level until a matter which is pending in the court is decided.
Recall that APC challenged the constitutionality of various Caretaker Committees constituted by the PDP led government in the Enugu State High Court.
Read full statement below:
It has come to the notice of Enugu State All Progressives Congress (APC) that the Enugu State PDP led Government has concluded plans to conduct Local Government elections on 29/02/2020. All Progressives Congress APC and its Candidates for the Locally Government Elections challenged the constitutionality of various Caretaker Committees constituted by the PDP led Enugu State Government in suit No. E/362/3015: APC & ORS. V. EMSIEC & ORS.
Similarly, APC challenged ENSIEC’s dereliction of its statutory duties to conduct Local Government elections and abandonment of same for the caretaker Committees and urged the Enugu High Court to declare the APC Candidates winners of the Election as the duly nominated candidates since PDP opted for Caretaker Committees.
The Enugu State High Court delivered Judgement and declared the Caretaker Committees and Transition Committees set up by Enugu State PDP led Government as illegal but refused to order the swearing in of APC Candidates. Currently, APC lodged appeal in Appeal No. CA/E/403/2019. There is also an application for interlocutory injunction before the court of Appeal in Appeared No. CA/E/403/2019: APC & ORS. V. ENSIEC & ORS. to restrain ENSIEC from conducting any Local Government elections pending the hearing and determination of the said Appeal No. CA/E/403/2019.
APC as a law abiding political party will not usurp the subject matter before the Court and interfere in a case pending before the Court of Appeal, Enugu Division.
To this end APC will prosecute the Appeal No. CA/E/403/2019 to its logical conclusion and will not engage in any elections at the Local Government level, which subject matter is pending before the Court of Appeal, Enugu Division.