Appellate court refuses to stay the execution of order restraining Imuse from parading self as Edo APC chair

From Bisi Olaniyi, Southsouth Bureau Chief 

The Court of Appeal in Benin on Friday refused to stay the order of an Edo State High Court restraining Col. David Imuse (rtd.), an ally of the National Chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Comrade Adams Oshiomhole, from parading himself as Chairman of Edo chapter of APC.

The court, presided over by Justice Abraham Georgewill, held that the proceedings in the High Court, including the contempt of court against Imuse and two others, should continue.

In the appeal, with reference number: CA/B/05/2020 in Imuse versus an ally of Governor Godwin Obaseki of APC, Anselem Ojezua, and two  others, the appellate court dismissed the motion filed by Ojezua and others, asking the court to dismiss the appeal filed by Imuse and Lawrence Okah, while ordering parties to file their brief of argument expeditiously.

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The court held that the appeal raised serious issues of jurisdiction and an abuse of court process that could be considered by the Appeal Court at Interlocutory Stage, as provided for by Paragraph 2 (B) and the proviso thereto of the Court of Appeal Practice Direction 2013.

The presiding judge, however, refused to grant motion for stay of proceedings in the lower court, while assuring parties that the appeal would be determined expeditiously.