ABUJA— A Federal High Court sitting in Abuja has  issued an order stopping the factional leader of the All Progressive Grand Alliance (APGA), Chief Chekwas Okorie, from organising a convention for the party.

The court also stopped the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), from participating in any convention organised by Okorie in the name of APGA.

The court said the order was granted ex-parte to  prevent ”serious, perhaps, irreparable mischief,” to APGA.
Justice Gabriel Kolawole is the vacation judge who granted the order following  an ex-parte application argued by APGA and its chairman, Chief Victor Umeh.

The Judge said he granted the order at an ex-parte stage to  prevent ”serious, perhaps, irreparable mischief,” to APGA.
The application was argued by Umeh’s lawyer, Mr. Patrick Ikwueto (SAN).

Justice Kolawole, who stopped INEC from participating in the proposed convention, specifically restrained INEC from sending any representative to any meeting or convention organised in the name of APGA by Okorie.

Okorie and Umeh had been locked in a protracted battle over the control of APGA.

However, an Abuja High Court had ruled that Okorie was validly suspended from the party.
The court also conferred recognition on Umeh as the party’s chairman.

Okorie has, however, filed an appeal against the judgment at the Court of Appeal in Abuja.