The already fragmented old guards executive of the main opposition All People’s Congress party under the leadership of ex-president Ernest Bai Koroma has suffered another heavy blow in the hands of the National Reformation Movement (NRM), a faction within the party, as the High Court squashed their jurisdictional objection.

At some stage of the hearings of the injuction earlier sought by the National Reformation Movement against the party, lawyers defending the party raised a a preliminary objection questioning the court’s jurisdiction to hear the matter and the capacity of the plaintiffs to sue.

After series of argument, Justice Komba Kamanda presiding over the matter dismissed the APC’s lawyers objections.

He said the plaintiffs (NRM) have right as registered APC members to take legal action against the party.

Lawyers representing the defendant had prayed that the court dismisses the NRM’s case as illegitimate.

With Justice Kamanda having ruled that the plaintiffs have the right to take legal action against the APC leadership, the door is now open for the court to proceed with hearing of the injunction that was sought by NRM restraining the APC leadership from engaging in all party activities until the full determination of the matter before the court. Justice Kamanda’s ruling further implies that NRM can now proceed with proving their allegations of misuse of power by the APC leadership by failing to draw up a proper national delegates list before calling a national conference to validate the party’s revised 1995 constitution.

NRM Secretary General, Bilal Kargbo called the landmark ruling a victory of democracy over dictatorship and impunity. He vowed that NRM will continue to commit itself, heart and soul, to the struggle to democratize the internal politics of their party, the APC.