APC crisis: Oshiomhole gets reprieve as A’Court halts suspension

…More confusion as FCT court mandates Giadom as acting chairman

…NEC meeting postponed indefinitely

Embattled National Chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Adams Oshiomhole, got a reprieve on Monday as the Court of Appeal in Abuja ordered a stay of execution on the ruling delivered by Justice Danlami Senchi of the FCT High Court Jabi, which had earlier suspended him as national chairman.

Also, the much awaited emergency National Executive Committee (NEC) meeting of the party slated for today (Tuesday) has been postponed indefinitely.

Consequent upon the Appeal Court ruling, Oshiomhole remains the legal national chairman of the party.

Appreciating the ruling, Oshiomhole said: “We appreciate God for making us triumph over the plans of the evil ones.

“We thank all those who stood by us during the time of this travails. Together we can move APC forward”.

The postponement of NEC meeting was earlier announced at the end of a meeting between President Muhammadu Buhari and APC governors under the aegis of the Progressives Governors Forum (PGF), led by Kebbi State governor, Atiku Bagudu, chairman of the PGF.

Bagudu said President Buhari was pleased to endorse the suggestion to postpone the NEC meeting.

However, it was gathered that President Buhari took the decision to allow for deeper consultations on the leadership wranglings which has polarised the rank of the governors and notable stakeholders in the party.

This was after the Presidency discovered that there was no consensus among the governors on the issue.

It was further gathered that the governors, majority of who are supporting Oshiomhole prevailed upon the President to shift the meeting to allow for more time to negotiate the chairman out of troubled waters.

Reacting, the acting national secretary, Victor Giadom, said the party will abide by President Buhari’s intervention.

“I want to tell the press that the All Progressives Congress (APC) will respect the decision of Mr. President. As of today, we are in agreement with the president that the NEC meeting has been postponed.

“Everybody has to respect the intervention of the President because he is the leader of the party.

On the possible date for reconvening the meeting, Giadom said “at the appropriately time, the public and members of the NEC will be informed on the new date”.

Meanwhile, an FCT High Court sitting in Maitama, Abuja on Monday had earlier granted an interim order allowing the acting National Secretary, Victor Giadom, to pilot the affairs of the APC as acting chairman and to preside at all NEC meetings of APC.

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But Giadom said he remains the acting national secretary as he was yet to get a certified copy of the FCT court ruling empowering him to take charge of the party secretariat.

However, a member of the party’s National Working Committee, who spoke on condition of anonymity with the Daily Times said that the postponement of the NEC meeting will afford the party great opportunity to evolve genuine reconciliation.

He said: “This is time for the Bisi Akande-led National Reconciliation Committee to swing into action by calling together all aggrieved members, resolve identified differences and put the house in order.

“There is need to let every one involved in the leadership crisis at the national level and those at loggerhead in the states know that they have to forgo personal interests for the collective interest of keeping APC united.

“Internal squabble is part of party politics but there should be concerted efforts to quickly address this already degenerating situation”.