APC leadership tussle: Court extends Giadom’s acting position for 14 days

…As pro – Oshiomhole NWC inaugurates Edo guber primary, appeal c’ttees

An FCT High Court Maitama on Thursday extended an order given earlier permitting Chief Victor Giadom to act as the National Chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC) for 14 days.

This came on the heels of the Appeal Court’s affirmation of suspension of Adams Oshiomhole as the national chairman of the party on Wednesday.

Justice Samira Bature, had on March 16 granted the interim order in a motion ex-parte, marked FCT/HC/M/6447/2020, filed by APC National Vice Chairman (North-East), Comrade Mustapha Salihu.

Joined as defendants in the motion are Babatunde Ogala; Lanre Issa-Onilu; Waziri Bulama and the party, APC.

Salihu had approached the court, through the ex parte motion, seeking for an interim order allowing Giadom to pilot the affairs of the party as acting chairman.

Also to preside at all meetings of the party’s National Executive Committee (NEC) pending the decision of the party’s NEC fixed for March 17.

The applicant also sought an interim order restraining the APC and its officers or anyone purporting to act as an officer of the 4th defendant (APC) from preventing or in any way disturbing Giadom from functioning as the acting chairman.

Adding that, unless otherwise decided by the NEC of the party pending the hearing of the motion on notice.

Wole Afolabi, counsel for the plaintiffs approached the court for an extension of the interim order.

Justice Bature granted a two-week extension of the court’s March 16 interim order in line with Rule 3 of the Covid- 19 Practice Direction of the FCT High Court.

“Consequent and in line with Rule 3 of the Covid- 19 Practice Direction of the FCT High Court, 2020, the order of this court made on the 16th day of March, 2020 is hereby extended for a period of two (2) weeks.

“Application is hereby granted as prayed,” Bature stated.

Meanwhile, the National Working Committee (NWC) of the All Progressives Congress (APC), on Thursday afternoon, inaugurated both the Election Committee and Appeal Committee for the Edo State governorship primary

The action of the Hillard Etta – led pro – Oshiomhole NWC was said to be in line with the resolution of the NWC at its 45th Emergency meeting in Abuja on Wednesday.

While inaugurating the two bodies, the National Vice Chairman (South – South), Hillard Etta, who stood in for the acting National Chairman, Senator Abiola Ajimobi, said the task before the Governor Hope Uzodinma – led Election Committee is to conduct the Edo State primary while the Appeal panel will look into complaint from the exercise.

Appellate court set aside FHC order on Edo APC primary

Etta said the inauguration is the height of APC’s governorship selection process which commenced with the inauguration of the Screening Committee and the Appeal Committees.

He expressed the party’s confidence in the carefully selected Nigerians assigned to do the onerous and herculean job.

He said “their job is very simple, to carry out the process selecting the flag bearer of the party in Edo State and we know that after that exercise, there may be concerns, disagreements, which is why we have constituted members of the APC Governorship Primary Election Appeal Committee.

“Having done the most important part of this ceremony, let me at this juncture inaugurate these two Committees with the powers that have been conferred on me by the very generous members of the National Working Committee (NWC) who chose His Excellency Senator Ajimobi on whose behalf, I perform this function”.

To work with the Imo State governor on the Primary Election Committee are Sen. Ajibola Bashiru (Secretary), Alhaji Abdullahi Abass, Hon. Ibrahim Sabo, Hon. Ocho Obioma, Hajia Amina Lantana Muhammed and Hon. Gbenga Elegbeleye.

Inaugurated members of the Primary Election Appeal Committee are Dr. Yusuf Ibrahim Naaji (Chairman), Dr. Kayode Ajulo (Secretary), Hon. Umar Ahmed, Nasiru Ibrahim Junju and Hon. Rasaq Mahmud Bamu.

Responding, Governor Uzodinma said himself and members of the Election Committee felt honoured by the assignment.

Uzodinma said: “It is my honour on behalf of my Committee to accept this very rare confidence reposed on us by our great party to go and conduct this process that will produce our guber candidate for the forthcoming Edo governorship election.

“I want to thank almighty God even when I know that this is coming at a time that our party is greatly challenged by some handiworks of our enemies and those who think the party has grown into national envy.

I want to assure the leadership of the party and indeed the entire membership in the country that we will go and do justice to this assignment and we will disappoint all reasonable expectations.

“I want to remind all of us that APC is the party to beat anywhere in Nigeria. The party is growing from strength to strength on a daily basis.

The tendency for people to become envious and the process to create distraction has also become very high but we must rise to the occasion to do just all that will make our party be what the people expect.

“Events of the past few days have shown that some people are after us and we must buckle our seat belts. We will face the turbulence but I’m confident that our aircraft will get to the destination.

We must field a candidate and our party must be run by those elected to run the party by us. And by the Grace of God, we will win the election in Edo”.

Reacting, the Secretary of the Appeal Committee, Dr. Kayode Ajulo said members will do justice as an impartial body to protect the integrity of the ruling party.

He said, it is a great challenge but with God, the committee will deliver.