Court dismisses Bolarinwa’s suit against APC

By Ajikobi Ahmed and Jimoh Sulyman

There seems to be no end in sight to the  crisis rocking the Kwara state  chapter of the ruling All progressives Congress, APC with the recent legal battle over party leadership.

The crisis assumed uglier dimension with a legal battle instituted by a faction of the state party.

The suit  initiated by a group which identified itself  as ‘Concerned APC Youths’, challenged the suspension of Bashir Omolaja Borinwa as the State’s Caretaker Chairman as well as the authenticity of the positions of the acting state Caretaker  Chairman of the Party, Alhaji Abdullahi Samari and National Caretaker Chairman, Mai Mala Buni.

The case was instituted by party members namely Muhammed Shola Tajudeen, Dauda Yakubu  and Issa Abubakar Alfulani among others.

In his ruling, Honourable Justice S.M Akanbi, observed that the issue was  intraparty, hence the court lacked jurisdiction over the matter.

According to him,  since internal remedy by the party has not been exhausted by the claimants, the court could not sit over the matter.

The Judge noted  that the steps taken by the claimants were  not endorsed, faulty and do not comply with the law, stressing that they failed to approach any relevant committee within the party like NEC before approaching the court.

The judge further noted that the claimants do not have the locus standi to approach the court because Bolarinwa who is directly affected did not challenge the decision of the party, which  means, he was satisfied with the party’s decision.

He stated that though the claimants claimed to be executives of the caretaker committee, the onus lies with the suspended Chairman, Bolarinwa to champion the matter.

Also in his judgement, Justice Akanbi, awarded a fine against the complainants for wasting the  court’s time.

Earlier, the claimants’ counsel had  argued that members of a party, had right to challenge through legal means, abuse of party’s constitution, while it is left for the court to decide if party members could  institute a case on behalf of the  chairman.

In his reaction to the judgement, one of the claimants and APC Kwara Central Senatorial Youth Leader, Issa Alfulani, alleged that that the state  Governor, Mallam Abdulrahman Abdulrazaq  might have influenced the outcome of the case.

He said, “I already anticipated  such outcome because it is a state court. The Governor and the government can easily influence the outcome. I’m not disappointed ,we’re waiting for the case  instituted by BOB in Abuja.”

Speaking to National Pilot on the development, the embattled erstwhile state party chair,  Bashir Omolaja Bolarinwa distanced himself from the matter.

He said, ” I don’t know anything about the case, I didn’t institute the case.”