Court dismisses suits challenging move to extend Oyegun’s tenure

A federal high court sitting in Abuja has dismissed two suits challenging a move by the All Progressives Congress (APC) to extend the tenure of John Odigie-Oyegun, its national chairman.

The attempted tenure extension had also involved officials of the party at the national, state, local government and ward levels.

In February, the national executive council of the APC added an extra year to the four-year tenure of the party officials due to expire on June 30.

But Okere Uzochukwu, a member of the party from Imo state, went to court to challenge the move.

Shortly after, another suit was also filed by some members of the party, urging the court to declare the tenure extension as unconstitutional.

At its sitting on Monday, Nnamdi Dimgba, the presiding judge, said the case had become “hypothetical” since the party has backed down on the attempt to extend the officials’ tenure.

The judge held that the move would have been a violation of the 1999 constitution and that of the party, but added that he had taken “judicial notice” of the fact that the party had began the process of replacing its current executives, through the congresses held across the country.

He, therefore, dismissed the two suits on the ground that the court only gives judgement that will address “live issues”.

President Muhammadu Buhari had kicked against the tenure extension.