Delta APC: Court voids Cairo Ojougboh’s expulsion, awards him N5m damages

By Philip Onome

The State High Court sitting in Delta State has on Tuesday nullified the suspension/expulsion of a chieftain of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Dr Cairo Ojougboh, by the party over alleged anti-party activities in the state.

The former member of the House of Representatives was expelled from the ruling party over his unethical conduct during the February 25 presidential and March 18 governorship elections.

In the expulsion letter dated March 27 and signed by the APC Chairman of Ika South Local Government in Delta State, Hilary Ibude, explained that Ojuogboh was sent out of the Party following a series of petitions against him in what he said were inimical to the success of the party.

However, in a turn of events, in a ruling by Justice Egwu of the state high court, the action of the APC in the state was declared null and void and unconstitutional.

According to the Judge who set aside Cairo’s suspension the Party didn’t follow due process before arriving at its decision.

Part of the ruling read; the Suspension and Expulsion of a party member are not a one-day /one-man affair, and that there is a provision explicitly defined on how a member of a political party can section in the constitution before getting to a stage of suspension/ Expulsion.

The court also awarded the sum of Five million naira against the defendant.