Confusion in Anambra APC Over Court Ruling on Alleged Anosike’s Reinstatement as Chairman

By Tony Okafor, Awka

Confusion has continued to trail Monday’s ruling of the Federal High Court in Abuja over the leadership of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Anambra State, with the rival factions led by Senator Emma Anosike and Chief Ifeanyichukwu Osegbo offering conflicting interpretations of the court’s decision.

While the Anosike camp maintained that the court’s order restored him as the substantive State Chairman pending the determination of an appeal, the Osegbo faction insisted that the judgment removing Anosike remains valid and that nothing has changed in the party’s leadership.

Justice Mohammed Umar of the Federal High Court had earlier recognised the Osegbo-led State Working Committee (SWC) as the authentic leadership of the party in Anambra. However, on Monday, the court granted a stay of execution of that judgment pending the determination of the appeal.

The ruling immediately generated divergent interpretations, with supporters of both factions claiming victory.

Counsel to the Anosike-led executive, Douglas Najim, argued that the stay of execution means the earlier judgment can no longer be enforced pending the appeal.

He also contended that Senator Anosike and other principal officers of the state executive were not joined as parties in the suit that culminated in their removal, despite the judgment directly affecting their offices.

According to Najim, the judgment was obtained without serving the party and the affected officials with the relevant court processes.

“Some people went to court and obtained what we consider a kangaroo judgment. They misrepresented facts before the court and failed to serve the party and the affected officials. They thereafter executed the judgment and took over the party secretariat in Awka,” he alleged.

Najim maintained that the implication of Monday’s order is that Senator Anosike and his executive remain the substantive leadership of the APC in Anambra State pending the determination of the appeal.

However, the Osegbo faction rejected that interpretation.

In a statement signed by its State Publicity Secretary, Hon. Engr. Tony-Uche Ezekwelu, the faction said the court struck out Anosike’s application seeking to set aside the judgment that removed him and his executive, holding that it lacked jurisdiction because the matter is already before the Court of Appeal.

According to the statement, the court merely advised the parties to pursue their grievances at the appellate court.

Ezekwelu acknowledged that the court granted a temporary stay of execution but explained that the order was made because the report of the execution of the earlier judgment had not yet been placed before the court.

He disclosed that counsel to the Osegbo faction informed the court that execution of the judgment had already been completed on July 3, 2026, adding that the execution report would be formally presented.

“The stay of execution does not change anything. The Chief Ifeanyichukwu Osegbo-led Anambra State Executive of the APC remains in office. We congratulate APC members in Anambra State,” Ezekwelu stated.

The conflicting claims have fuelled uncertainty over the authentic leadership of the party in the state.

Legal analysts note that a stay of execution ordinarily suspends the enforcement of a judgment pending appeal but does not necessarily amount to a reinstatement unless the court expressly orders such relief or the legal effect of the order clearly restores the status quo ante.

As of the time of filing this report, no express order reinstating Senator Anosike had been made public.