A Federal High Court in Lagos, on Thursday, ordered that the meeting of the National Executive Council, NEC, of All Progressives Congress, APC, scheduled for next Tuesday must not go on without former Oyo State governor, Abiola Ajimobi, Waziri Bulama and Paul Chukwuma in attendance.
The court order, if not countered, may upturn plans by South-South leaders, including Transport Minister, Rotimi Amaechi; Edo Governor, Godwin Obaseki; and others pushing for Oshiomhole’s removal.
The chieftains are believed to have met in a residence in Asokoro District, Abuja to fine tune plans to remove the party chief.
The court, presided over by Justice Mohammed Liman, made the order in a ruling which restrained APC and its officials from “disturbing, preventing or obstructing Waziri Bulama, Senator Abiola Ajimobi and Paul Chukwuma from carrying out their duties as acting National Secretary, acting National Deputy Chairman (South) and acting National Auditor of APC, respectively”
There was also indication that Oshiomhole and some of his loyalists will not be present at next Tuesday’s National Executive Council meeting of the party.
Recall also that a Federal High Court, sitting in Maitama, Abuja on Thursday approved the controversial National Executive Committee, NEC, emergency session of the party scheduled for next week.
The court restrained National Working Committee (NWC) members loyal to Oshiomhole, from obstructing the conduct of the meeting which is expected to decide the fate of the embattled former Edo governor.
Justice Liman made the order sequel to an ex parte application filed by the Lagos State Chairman of APC, Tunde Balogun, which was argued by his lawyer, Gani Bello.
Balogun, in the application, prayed the court to compel APC to recognise Bulama as the party’s acting National Secretary; Ajimobi, as the acting National Deputy Chairman (South); and Chukwuma, as the acting National Auditor of the party.
He told the court that after the three offices became vacant and were zoned to different geopolitical zones, Bulama was nominated by the North-East; Ajimobi, by the South-West; and Chukwuma, South-East.
The petitioner said the nomination of Bulama was ratified at the meeting of APC’s National Working Committee, NWC, on January 14, while those of Ajimobi and Chukwuma were ratified at the NWC meeting of March 4.
He said: “By virtue of the ratification stated above, the nominees have become members of the National Executive Council and are entitled by the constitution of the defendant (APC) to work and operate in acting capacities in their respective offices, pending their swearing-in at the National Convention of the party.
“In spite of the foregoing, the defendant (APC), acting through its officials and officers, particularly the Deputy National Secretary, has not allowed the nominees to perform their duties as members of the National Executive Council.”
He told the court that APC NEC could not effectively function unless Bulama, Ajimobi and Chukwuma were allowed to perform their duties.
He, therefore, urged the court to compel the APC to recognise trio.
After listening to the applicant’s lawyer, Justice Liman granted the prayers and adjourned till March 25 to entertain the plaintiff’s Motion on Notice.
In Abuja, a Federal High Court on Thursday approved the controversial National Executive Committee, NEC, emergency session of the party scheduled for next week; but it excluded
National Working Committee (NWC) members loyal to Oshiomhole, from obstructing the conduct of the meeting.
Additional reports by Vanguard