By Kazeem Bisiriyu
An FCT High Court in Maitama, Abuja has suspended Adams Oshiomhole as the national chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC). Justice Danlami Senchi, on Tuesday, ordered Oshiomhole to step down pending the determination of the substantive suit seeking his perpetual removal as the APC chairman.
The judge, Danlami Senchi, gave the order following an application of interlocutory injunction asking the court to suspend Mr Oshiomhole, having been suspended as a member of the APC by the party in Edo State.
The application was filed by an applicant, Oluwale Afolabi.
While Mr Oshiomhole is the first respondent, the APC is the second respondent.
Mr Afolabi in his application dated and filed on January 16 had contended that Mr Oshiomhole is currently suspended by the party and has not challenged the suspension.
According to Mr Afolabi, Mr Oshiomhole’s rights as an APC member is currently abated and he cannot continue to act as chairman of the party.
He argued that Mr Oshiomhole cannot continue to enjoy benefits from the APC, despite his suspension as a member of the party.
A Senior Advocate of Nigeria, Damian Dodo, is the lawyer representing Mr Oshiomhole and the APC.
In his ruling on Wednesday, Justice Senchi held that the first and second respondents wrongfully kept Mr Oshiomhole as the national chairman of the party.
The court also ordered that Mr Oshiomole should stop parading himself as the chairman of the APC.
He urged the APC to desist from acknowledging him as the chairman of the party
The court has also given the APC orders not to grant Mr Oshiomhole access to the party secretariat.
It was earlier reported how Mr Oshiomhole was controversially suspended by the APC in Edo State after he was suspended by the party’s leadership in his ward in the state.
The former Edo State governor and the APC national leadership, however, discountenanced the suspension, saying it was invalid. They said only the party headquarters could suspend national officers of the party including the chairman.
Mr Oshiomhole is having a crisis with his successor in Edo and fellow party member, Governor Godwin Obaseki.