Court Suspends Oshiomhole As APC National Chairman

Posted by African Examiner Featured, Latest Headlines, News Thursday, March 5th, 2020

(AFRICAN EXAMINER) – A High Court of the Federal Capital Territory, in Jabi, Abuja, Wednesday, ordered an interim suspension of Comrade Adams Oshiomhole as the National Chairman of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC).

Justice Danlami Senchi while ruling on an application for interlocutory injunction held that the suspension order would subsist pending the determination of the main suit bordering on his suspension as a member of the party.

Justice Senchi, in his judgement, held that the party wrongfully continued to retain Oshiomhole as its national chairman while he was under suspension as a member of the party.

Consequently, he ordered Oshiomhole to stop parading himself as the national chairman of the party, and directed the party to cease acknowledging him in that regard.

The court also ordered the Inspector-General of Police and the Department of State Services (DSS) to mobilise their operatives to prevent Oshiomhole from accessing his office at the party’s secretariat.

The suit was instituted by six applicants, including the Vice-Chairman of the party, North-East, Mustapha Salihu, and the Chairman of the party in Edo State, Anslem Ojezua.

Other applicants are Alhaji Sani Gomna, Oshawo Steven, Fani Wabulari, and Princewill Ejogharado.

The respondents include: Oshiomhole, the APC, the Inspector-General of Police, Adamu Mohammed, and the DSS.

Following the ruling, reports alleged that the Governors, with the assistance of anti-Oshiomhole forces in the APC National Working Committee (NWC), might, in the next few days, call the party’s National Executive Council (NEC) meeting where the embattled national chairman’s fate would be finally decided.

Reacting, the party’s acting National Secretary, Mr. Victor Giadom, has reportedly said the party would abide by all court rulings relating to the matter.

“I am trying to say that the All Progressives Congress will respect all lawful court orders. We will soon do that” the party Scribe stated.

Meanwhile, Comrade Oshiomhole has filed stay of execution against the judgement.

According to the former Edo State Governor Spokesman, Mr. Simon Ebegbulem, the APC Leader has filed a stay of execution and appealed against the order.

Ebegbulem disclosed that Oshiomhole filed four grounds of appeal before the Abuja Division of the Court of Appeal, praying for an order setting aside the interlocutory injunction issued by Justice Danlami Senchi of the FCT High Court.

He explained that in the notice of appeal filed in his name and that of the APC, the appellants contended that the judge “arrived at a wrong conclusion” in his ruling and it “occasioned a miscarriage of justice”.

The appellants also argued through his lawyer, Mr Damian Dodo (SAN) that the judge in his ruling prejudged the substantive case by erroneously delving into the issue of his performance of the duty of his office as the national chairman of the party at the preliminary stage.