BY ENYIM ENYIM

ONITSHA—National chairman of All Progressives Grand Alliance, APGA, Chief Victor Umeh, Thursday, described the Awka High Court judgment which vacated the order restraining Maxi Okwu from parading himself as national chairman as a miscarriage of justice, insisting that he remained the authentic chairman of the party.

The order of the Federal High Court which restrained Maxi Okwu from parading himself as national chairman, was Wednesday vacated by the same court which some people interpreted as a victory for Okwu.

But Umeh, in an interview with Vanguard, noted that the interim order was to last for only 14 days, adding that its vacation did not affect the stay of execution granted by the Court of Appeal in Enugu.

He also explained that it did not affect the position of the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, on the matter.

INEC recently affirmed that Chief Victor Umeh remained the national chairman of the party.

Vacating, the court order the presiding Judge, Justice M.T. Salihu, ruled that the court was quick to say that the vacation of the exparte order on Okwu was not in any way aimed at vitiating the stay of execution by the honourable justices of the Court of Appeal  that reinstated Victor Umeh on April 8 as the national chairman of the party.

Justice Salihu, after a long argument by counsel of both sides, said the rule of the Federal High Court exparte order had a life span of 14 days, stressing that the order was meant to be obeyed and, therefore, vacated the order.

“But I must make it clear that the vacation of the exparte order does not affect the stay of execution by the learned Justices of the Appeal Court,” he added.

The judge noted that the issue of the authentic leaders of APGA should await the Court of Appeal decision on the substantive appeal.