The Police has effectively mobilised to take over the All Progressives Congress (APC) Secretariat in Abuja. No one knows for sure if sgents of the secret police, the Department of State Services (DSS), have also fully mobilised, but the party is making strange moves though it says it will respect the decision of the Abuja High Court suspending Mr Adams Oshiomhole as the National Chairman of the party.
The acting National Secretary of the party, Mr Victor Giadom, who made this comment at a press conference on Wednesday was himself shoved aside as a statement from the National Publicity Secretary, Mallam Lanre Issa-Onilu, announced a new acting National Secretary.
Onilu said the National Working Committee (NWC) of the All Progressives Congress (APC) has approved the nomination of Arch. Waziri Bulama as the Party’s Acting National Secretary.
The decision, his statement said, was reached on January 14, 2020 during the meeting of the NWC at the party’s National Secretariat.
No explanation was given for the nearly seven weeks delay in announcement, and coming hours after Oshiomhole was suspended.
The statement adds, “Following the resignation of H.E. Mai Mala Buni as the Party’s National Secretary in May 2019 prior to his election as the Governor of Yobe State, the party subsequently gave notice for a replacement from the zone.
“The NWC has also approved the nominations of Senator Abiola Ajimobi as the Deputy National Chairman (South) and Mr. Paul Chukwuma as the National Auditor following nominations from the respective zones.”
Recall that before the statement, a National Vice Chairman of the party, Mr Salihu Mustapha, had alleged that the suspended Chairman, Oshiomhole, directed Issa-Onilu, to announce Bulama as the party’s National Secretary.
There has been no love lost between Oshiomhole and Mustapha, a major voice calling for the chairman’s sacking.
But there are other forces for and against Oshiomhole, with sitting and former governors and lawmakers, NWC members said to be involved. An insider told Nigeria Everyday that some powerful persons in the nation’s seat of power are involved.
Said Mustapha in Abuja, “Immediately the court injunction was given, the national chairman has called the party’s National Publicity Secretary (Lanre Issa-Onilu) to issue a statement that Bulama is the National Secretary of the party.
“I believe you guys are aware of the meeting held about a month ago on that matter, which ended without a decision. Since then there has not been a decision as to the replacement of the secretary.
“The public should know that any decision that Oshiomhole makes henceforth is an illegal decision and will not hold.
“We will keep our fingers crossed until the court decides. I am saying this so that there can be no two national secretaries and there can be no affirmation from a national chairman that has been suspended”.
Many suspect that Oshiomhole problems with his Governor and successor in Edo State, Mr. Godwin Obaseki, is further fuelling his travails as subterranean moves continued to finally nail his political coffin at the centre-stage in Abuja.
There were unverified whispers that the constellation of forces against him are initiating moves to get an acting national chairman as a prelude to booting him out.
But Oshiomhole is a known dogged and brutal fighter, who, a source said, has the capacity to bring down the house on everyone.
“With the files on him, he cannot do anything. Watch and see. It is only the head of the Villa that can save, but if he chooses to keep quiet, that comrade is a goner”, another said
A Federal Capital Territory (FCT) High Court sitting in Jabi District of Abuja on Wednesday ordered the suspension of the Oshiomhole.
Justice Danlami Senchi, gave the order following an application of interlocutory injunction asking the court to suspend Oshiomhole, having being suspended as a member of the APC from his Etsako ward 10 in Edo State.
The application was filed by Mustapha Salihu and five others through their counsel Oluwole Afolabi.
While Oshiomhole is the first respondent, the APC is the second respondent .
The plaintiffs in their application dated and filed on January 16 had contended that Oshiomhole is currently suspended by the party and has not challenged the suspension.
According to the plaintiff lawyer, Oshiomhole’s rights as an APC member is currently abated and cannot continue to act as chairman of the party.
He argued that Oshiomhole cannot continue to enjoy benefits from the APC in view of his suspendion as a member of the party.
A Senior Advocate of Nigeria(SAN), Damian Dodo is the lawyer representing Oshiomhole and the APC.
In his ruling on Wednesday, Justice Senchi, held that the first and second respondent wrongfully kept Oshiomhole as the National Chairman of the party.
The court also ordered that Oshiomole should stop parading himself as the Chairman of the party.
The judge also asked the APC to desist from acknowledging him as the chairman of the party
The court further ordered APC not to grant Oshiomole access to the party Secretariat.
Justice Danlami Senchi said that political parties must be bound by their constitution adding that since Oshiomhole had been evidently suspended by his ward and the suspension not challenged, he has no business any longer parading himself as national chairman of the party.
Meanwhile, hearing in the substantive matter has been adjourned to April 7 and 8 by the Judge.
https://everyday.ng/apc-in-overdrive-as-court-sacks-oshiomhole-for-now/