Oshiomhole walks alone as APC accepts suspension

 

• Armed security personnel take over secretariat

 

BY OUR EDITOR

Adams Oshiomhole, suspended as the National Chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC), by Abuja High Court, appears to be walking alone as the party he led says it will abide by the court judgment.

The Acting National Secretary of the APC, Victor Giadom, has said that the APC as a law-abiding political party will respect the decision of the court suspending Oshiomhole as the National Chairman of the Party.

He spoke to reporters at the party’s National Secretariat amidst heavy security presence.

No less than 13 police patrol vans with armed policemen were seen keeping vigil around the building.

The High Court of the Federal Capital Territory, Jabi, Abuja, had on Wednesday ordered an interim suspension of Adams Oshiomhole as the National Chairman of the All Progressives Congress.

Delivering a ruling on an application for an interlocutory injunction, Justice Danlami Senchi, ordered Oshiomhole to remain on suspension pending the determination of the main suit.

The court held that the party wrongfully continued to retain him as its National Chairman while he was under suspension as a member of the party.

National Vice Chairman (North-East), Salihu Mustapha, who backed the court decision, told reporters that following the court injunction, Oshiomhole was for now, in no position to issue any instruction as doing so will be “illegal, null and void”.

He explained that his intervention was based on information that as soon as the court pronouncement became public, Oshiomhole allegedly instructed the APC National Publicity Secretary, Mallam Lanre Isa-Onilu to issue a statement announcing Waziri Bulama, as acting National Secretary.

READ: BREAKING: Court sacks Oshiomhole as APC Chairman

Mustapha said, “Immediately the court injunction was given, the national chairman called the party’s chief press secretary (National Publicity Secretary) to issue a statement to the press that Waziri Bulama is the (acting) National Secretary to the Party.

“I believe you 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 chairman is about to create more chaos within the party as he gave the order.

“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 acting National Secretaries and there can be no affirmation from a national chairman that has been suspended.”

Oshiomhole’s suspension was a sequel to an action instituted by one Olawale Afolabi, who described himself as a member of the party, went to court to stop Oshiomhole from performing the functions of the national chairman.

According to him, Oshiomhole ceased to be the APC National Chairman from the day he was suspended by the Edo State Chapter of the party.