Like the proverbial cat with nine lives, Comrade Adams Oshiomhole, national chairman of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) survived what could be termed the biggest battle in his political career. But for a last minute dramatic high-wired politicking, he would have been humiliated out of office without completing two years of his four- year term.

Relief From NEC, Appeal Court

The first relief came after governors elected under the party’s platform under aegis of the Progressives Governors Forum (PGF) met with President Muhammadu Buhari in the Presidential Villla and agreed at a meeting in the Presidential Villa to suspend the controversial National Executive Committee (NEC) meeting scheduled for March 17 where many had thought Oshiomhole’s fate would be sealed.

At the meeting with the President were the governors of Kebbi, Atiku Bagudu; Edo, Godwin Obaseki; Lagos, Babajide Sanwo-Olu; Borno, Babagana Zulum; Ogun, Dapo Abiodun; Jigawa, Muhammad Badaru; Kwara, Abdulrahman Abdulrazak; Nasarawa, Abdullahi Sule; Niger, Abubakar Sani Bello; Plateau, Simon Lalong; Ondo, Rotimi Akeredolu; Kano, Ibrahim Ganduje; Osun, Gboyega Oyetola; Katsina, Aminu Masari; Imo; Hope Uzodinma and Gombe, Inuwa Yahaya

At the end of the meeting, the chairman of the Progressive Governors Forum and Governor of Kebbi State, Atiku Bagudu, told reporters that the NEC meeting would hold when the governors were able to resolve the existing debacle.

“We told the president that the governors had resolved to work together to resolve all the issues in the party. Also, we seek Mr. President’s support to postpone the NEC meeting that is scheduled for tomorrow until such a time that the governors are ready to report back.He (Buhari) was so happy that we all agreed to that.”

Shortly after, the Court of Appeal granted his application for stay of execution of the ruling of a Federal Capital Territory (FCT) High Court, which earlier this month suspended him from office.

The appeal, which was earlier slated for hearing yesterday morning by the Court of Appeal was, however, stood down till evening, following an announcement by a three-man panel of justices of the court headed by Justice Steven Adah that another panel would handle the matter.

And when the court reconvened, the three-man panel headed by Justice Abubakar Dati Yahaya upheld Oshiomhole’s ex-parte application for a stay of execution of the ruling of the high court.

Oshiomhole’s legal team had argued that the order of the trial court had already created a situation of disorder in the party and the situation could degenerate if the appellate court failed to intervene.

Justice Danlami Senchi of the Federal High Court (FCT) High Court had on March 4, ordered the suspension of Oshiomhole, pending the hearing and determination of the substantive suit seeking his removal from office as national chairman of APC. The order followed an application filed by the deputy chairman of the party (North-east), Mustapha Salihu, and five others through their lawyer, Oluwole Afolabi, in January.

The applicant’s interlocutory injunction application challenged Oshiomhole’s continued right to parade himself as the party’s national chairman after his initial suspension by his primary ward in Edo State.

Oshiomhole had in the ex-parte application prayed the court to halt the suspension order on the grounds that there would be no status quo ante belum if the appellate court failed to to do so.

His lead lawyer, Chief Wole Olanipekun (SAN), had informed the Court of Appeal that there was a NEC meeting of the APC slated for Tuesday March 17, wherein the applicant would be excluded, going by the suspension order of the lower court.

Olanipekun said that time was of essence because of the seriousness of the issue, arguing that there would be an irredeemable damage if the court did not intervene.

In its ruling, the appellate court held that the status quo could only be maintained if the order of the lower court was stayed.“We have looked at the application and we are of the view that the image of emergency has been painted. There is information that the NEC would hold a meeting tomorrow and the applicant will not be there.

“Justice would not have been served if the applicant is not in that meeting. The status quo can only be maintained if there is a stay.

“We find merit in the application and we hereby order a stay of execution of the lower court order made on March 4, 2020, pending the hearing of the notice of appeal slated for Friday March 20, 2020”.

The Court of Appeal went further to order all parties in the suit not to take any further steps that would affect its ruling. Beyond that, the appellate court made an order of accelerated hearing in the matter.

Justice Yahaya urged politicians to learn to resolve their problems without involving the courts.Upon granting the order, the court consequently adjourned further hearing till Friday, March 20.

Oshiomhole, in the appeal which had Mustapha Salihu, Anselm Ojezua, Sani Gomna, Oshawo Steve, Fani Wabulari and Princewill Ejogharado as respondents, claimed that the trial court erred in law to have arrived at a “wrong” conclusion which occasioned a miscarriage of justice when it decided that his performance as APC national chairman would interfere with the party membership rights of the first to sixth respondents in the suit, at the interlocutory stage.

He claimed that the judge erred in law and arrived at a wrong conclusion which occasioned a miscarriage of justice when it placed him on suspension at an interlocutory stage of a suit instituted against him by the aggrieved members of the party.

According to him, the issue of duties as APC national chairman is a matter which arose from substantive issues for determination and ought not to have been determined at the interlocutory stage of the main matter.

South- South Leaders Reject Oshiomhole

The South-south leaders of the APC at a meeting in Abuja convened by Governor Godwin Obaseki said it is fed up with Oshiomhole’s leadership and called on the party to respect the present zoning arrangement by appointing the Acting National Secretary, Chief Victor Giadom, as the Acting Chairman of the party.

The meeting was attended by leaders from the six states of the zone, comprising 7 Ministers, 7 members of the National Assembly, members of the zonal executive committee of the party and members of the State Executive Committee of the party.

The ministers in attendance were the Minister of Transportation, Rotimi Amaechi, his counterpart in the Labour Ministry, Festus Keyamo, Minister of Health, Dr. Osagie Ehanire and the Minister of State,Power, Goody Jedy Agba.

The APC South-south leaders also declared support for the NEC meeting convened to resolve the crisis rocking the party.

The APC South-south leaders at the meeting however adopted the following resolutions: “That we insist that the party should respect the present zoning arrangement by retaining the Chairmanship of our great party in the South South zone, even in acting capacity.

“That we insist that the party should respect the present zoning arrangement by retaining the Chairmanship of our great party in the South South zone, even in acting capacity.

“We also resolved that the most senior party officer from the zone being the Acting National Secretary, Chief Victor Giadom, should be confirmed Acting Chairman for the time being.”

It urged all party members from the zone to fully embrace the emergency NEC meeting, saying boycotting the meeting would be counter productive”.

Tinubu To The Rescue

When it appears all hopes for Oshiomhole has been dashed, he got a major lifeline from the national leader of the party, Asiwaju Bola Tinubu who stoutly defended him and excoriated those advocating for his removal.

In a statement personally signed by him titled ‘2023: A Different Form Of Ailment’, the former Lagos state governor said those behind the move to oust Oshiomhole are suffering from a sickness he called “old Ambition-virus 2023” which according to him is deadlier than the Coronavirus. He also added that those plotting the removal of Comrade Adams Oshiomhole, the party’s national chairman are doing so because they see him as an obstacle to their presidential ambition in 2023.

https://www.independent.ng/ceasefire-in-apc-as-oshiomhole-survives-again/

Was there any shootings initially?

I think ceasefire here means no more fighting for now. There is peace at the moment

helinues:
Was there any shootings initially?