BREAKING: Hope beams for Ottah, Agom, others as court bars APC, INEC from tampering with Benue primary list

A Federal High Court sitting in Abuja has ordered all parties in the leadership dispute rocking the Benue State chapter of the All Progressives Congress (APC) to maintain the status quo pending the determination of the suit.

Justice Inyang Ekwo issued the order on Thursday in a suit filed by Sesugh Kaaba against the APC and the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).

The directive came after counsel to the parties informed the court that they had exchanged the necessary court processes in the matter.

Counsel to the plaintiff, Mohammed Ndarani-Mohammed, told the court that the matter was slated for the defendants to show cause why the reliefs sought in his client’s ex parte application should not be granted.

He said the plaintiff had received affidavits filed by both the APC and INEC in compliance with the court’s earlier order and was ready to adopt the processes.

Counsel to the APC, S. D. Swem, informed the court that the party had filed an affidavit to show cause as well as a counter-affidavit to the plaintiff’s motion on notice but was yet to respond to the originating summons.

INEC’s counsel, Oluwole Olukunle, also confirmed that the electoral commission had filed its responses to the plaintiff’s processes.

Justice Ekwo observed that by filing their respective processes, all parties had submitted themselves to the jurisdiction of the court.

He stressed that once a matter is before a competent court, parties are prohibited from taking any action capable of undermining the judicial process.

“Once a case is pending in court, parties are automatically restrained, and if you go ahead to do any other thing, you are taking the law into your hands,” the judge said.

The plaintiff’s counsel urged the court to caution the APC against taking further steps while the matter remained pending.

In response, Justice Ekwo clarified that he was merely stating the position of the law and not offering advice to any party.

In his ruling, the judge recalled that on July 8, the court had directed the defendants to show cause why the plaintiff’s ex parte application should not be granted.

He held that since all parties had joined issues on the substantive suit, it would be more appropriate to proceed directly with the hearing of the main case rather than spend judicial time on the interlocutory application.

Justice Ekwo subsequently adjourned the matter until July 21, 2026, for hearing and ordered all parties to maintain the status quo ante pending the determination of the suit.