The fate of the suspended embattled national chairman of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC), Adams Oshiomhole, remains unknown as the Court of Appeal, Abuja Division, Monday, postponed the hearing of the appeal he filed challenging his suspension as APC chairman by the Abuja High Court to April 7, 2020. The appeal was earlier slated for hearing Monday morning by the Court of Appeal but when parties in the matter were seated in court, a three-member panel of justices of the court, headed by Justice Steven Adah, announced that a different panel shall be handling the appeal. After taking two cases, the Justice Steven Adah-led panel announced that the panel to hear the Oshiomhole’s appeal will reconvene “when ready.”
Shortly after the justice’s information, an official of the court repeated the announcement that hearing in Oshiomhole’s appeal has been reserved to a date to be communicated to parties in the matter. The judge consequently fixed hearing of the matter for April 7 and 8. The ex-Edo State Governor, who hinged his appeal on four grounds, is seeking among others, the reversal of his suspension by a High court of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT).
In the appeal which has Mustapha Salihu, Anselm Ojezua, Sani Gomina, Oshawo Steve, Fani Wabulari and Princewill Ejogharado as respondents, Oshiomhole stated that the trial court erred in law to have arrived at a wrong conclusion which occasioned a miscarriage of justice when it decided that his performance as APC national chairman would interfere with the party membership rights of the first to sixth respondents in the suit, at the interlocutory stage. The Inspector-General of Police and Department of State Services (DSS) were also listed as the seventh and eighth respondents.
Oshiomhole argued that the judge erred in law and arrived at a wrong conclusion which occasioned a miscarriage of justice when it placed him on suspension at an interlocutory stage of a suit instituted against him by some aggrieved members of the party. He also argued that the high court further erred in law when it decided that he, in the performance of his duties as APC national chairman, would interfere in the court action filed against him by the aggrieved members. He further argued that the issue of duties as APC national chairman is a matter which arose from substantive issues for determination and ought not to have been determined at the interlocutory stage of the main matter.
Meanwhile, Justice Samira Bature of the FCT High Court in Maitama, on Monday granted an interim order permitting Chief Victor Giadom, current APC National Secretary, to act as the National Chairman of the party. And also, as acting chairman and to preside at all meetings of the party’s National Executive Committee (NEC) pending the decision of the party’s NEC fixed for March 17. The judge granted the order in a motion ex-parte, filed by APC National Vice Chairman (North-East), Comrade Mustapha Salihu, which was argued by his counsel, OC Ugwu, Esq.
Joined as defendants in the motion are Babatunde Ogala; Lanre Issa-Onilu; Waziri Bulama and the APC. Salihu had approached the court, through the ex-parte motion, seeking for an interim order allowing Giadom to pilot the affairs of the party. The applicant also sought an interim order restraining the APC and its officers or anyone purporting to act as an officer of the 4th defendant (APC) from preventing or in any way disturbing Giadom from functioning as the acting chairman. He added, unless otherwise decided by the NEC of the party pending the hearing of the motion on notice. After listening to the motion as argued by Ugwu, Justice Bature granted the interim order as prayed. “Application is hereby granted as prayed,” the judge ordered. Bature then adjourned the matter until March 20 for hearing.
