The Federal High Court, Abuja, on Monday, ordered substituted service of court processes on Governor of Yobe State, Mai Mala Buni, who is Chairman, National Caretaker Committee of the All Progressives Congress (APC), and 11 others in a suit challenging the dissolution of the National Working Committee (NWC) of the party.
Justice Taiwo Taiwo ordered that the summons be pasted at the entrance of the National Secretariat of the APC at No: 40, Blantyre Street, Wuse, Abuja.
This followed complaint by plaintiff in the matter, Mr Kalu Kalu, that the respondents had been evading service of court summons since they got wind of the suit.
Others affected by the order are Governor Sani Bello of Niger State, Senator Ken Nnamani, Isiaka Oyebola, Dr James Lalu, Senator Abubakar Yusuf, Rep. Akinyemi Olaide, David Leon, Prof. Tahir Mamman, Ismail Ahmed and Sen. Akpan Udoedehe.
In a ruling after an exparte motion was argued by the plaintiff on behalf of himself, Justice Taiwo ordered that the originating summons and other processes in the matter be served on 3rd to 14 defendants by posting same on the entrance gate of the APC Headquarters in Abuja, since the party is the second defendant in the matter.
The judge held that if the service was effected by the court bailiff as directed, it shall be deemed good and proper.
He then adjourned the matter till September 4 for hearing.
Kalu, a Youth Leader of APC in Abia State, is challenging the powers of the National Executive Council (NEC) of the party to sack the national leaders barely two years out of their constitutionally guaranteed four-year term of office.
In the suit marked: FHC/ABJ/ CS/736/2020, the plaintiff asked for an order of the court, setting aside the dissolution of the NWC by APC’s NEC meeting held at the Presidential Villa , Abuja, last month.
He also asked the court for an order restraining the National Caretaker Committee members led by Buni from parading themselves as national officers of the APC and from usurping the functions of the party’s NWC, among other prayers.
