As legal fireworks mount over the continuous stay of the National Chairman of the All Progressives Congress ((APC), Adams Oshiomhole in office, a Federal High Court In Kano has set aside the ruling of the FCT High Court suspending him as the National Chairman of the party.
Delivering the judgement on Thursday, Justice Lewis Allagoa ordered the police and Department of State Service (DSS) to provide security for Oshiomhole to resume in his office.
The New Diplomat had reported that the FCT High Court sitting in Jabi on Wednesday, ordered the suspension of Oshiomhole, pending the determination of a substantive suit.
Read also: Court Sets Aside Ruling Suspending Oshiomhole As APC Chairman
The judge, Danlami Senchi, who gave the order following an application of interlocutory injunction asking the court to suspend Comrade Oshiomhole, having been suspended as a member of the APC by the party in Edo State was premised on an application filed by an applicant, Oluwale Afolabi.
Afolabi in his application had contended that Comrade Oshiomhole is currently suspended by the party and has not challenged the suspension. A well known Senior Nigerian Lawyer, Damian Dodo, SAN is the lawyer representing Comrade Oshiomhole and the APC.
However, this much development, according to political analysts who wish to remain anonymous is not unconected to the fight to take over the Soul of APC by all combatants at war and it is premised principally on the forces at paly over 2023 presidential race. Said an insider: “It’s all about 2023. There are too much contending and powerful interests at the root of this crisis. It is principally about the issue of who would get the presidential ticket of the party to run in 2023. Other interest simply align and gravitate around this fierce battle. It’s serious chess game…”
His submission underpins the latest development in the APC. Though the 2023 election seems far off, the momentum is already building up among political gladiators in the country. The forces generating voices of cacophony within the party include the governors and certain power brokers in the ruling party. While some governors and national leaders of the party are purportedly backing Oshiomhole to remain in office as national Chairman, others want him to be shown the way out as they view him and his camp as an opposing force to the pursuit of 2023 political interests.
In his ruling on Wednesday, Justice Senchi held that the first and second respondents wrongfully and inappropriately kept Comrade Oshiomhole as the national chairman of the party.
Recall that Comrade Oshiomhole has been having a serious crisis with his successor in Edo and former political ally, Governor Godwin Obaseki. Interestingly, legal moves to suspend the APC national chairman has been on for long. Earlier this year, the moves to oust the National Chairman of the ruling APC, Oshiomhole had failed before a High Court of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), in Jabi, Abuja. Specifically, the court had rejected an exparte application filed by the National Vice Chairman, North East of the ruling All Progressives Congress APC, Comrade Mustapha Salihu, a factional Chairman of the APC in Edo state, Anselm Ojezua and others, seeking to remove the National Chairman of the party from office.
The rift between Oshiomhole and his successor in office, Governor Obaseki of Edo state heightened with the governor’s led faction of the party calling for the removal of Oshiomhole who they claimed had been suspended by the party in the state. However, the move to oust Comrade Oshiomhole hit a brick wall when the Court refused to grant the Ex Parte motion filed by Salihu, Ojezua and others.
Justice Danlami Zenchi rather ordered that the Defendants (Oshiomhiole, APC and others) be put on notice before the motion is heard so as to ensure fair hearing in the matter.
In the Claimant’s Motion Ex Parte filed by their Counsel, Oluwole Afolabi, Comrade Mustapha Salihu, Ojezua and others, the litigants had asked the court to stop the Defendant (Oshiomhole) from parading himself as National Chairman of the APC just as they urged the Inspector General of Police, the Director General of the Department of State Services (DSS) from allowing the Defendant access to the office of the National Chairman pending the determination of the Motion on Notice.
The order followed a heated argument by Counsel to the defendants, Damien Dodo SAN, who expressed shock at the alleged attempts by the Claimants to coerce the court to grant their prayers without serving the processes on the 1st and 2nd Defendants.
In his ruling, Justice Senchi said he will hear all parties instead of granting the exparte application to have Oshiomhole vacate his office as National Chairman of the APC as requested by the Plaintiffs.
The matter was consequently adjourned to 18th February 2020 for hearing of the Claimants’ application.
