A Federal Capital Territory (FCT) High Court in Jabi has ordered the suspension of the National Chairman of the All Progressive Congress (APC), Adams Oshiomhole.
The judge, Danlami Senchi, held that Oshiomhole would cease to be chairman of the party pending the outcome of a substantive suit.
The order is consequent upon gave an application of interlocutory injunction filed by one Olúwale Afolabi asking that Oshiomhole be suspended by the court, having been suspended as a member of the APC by the party in Edo State.
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While Mr Oshiomhole is the first respondent, the APC is the second respondent.
In his application dated and filed on January 16 had submitted Afolabi submitted that Oshiomhole is currently suspended by the party and has not challenged the suspension.
According to Afolabi, Oshiomhole’s membership of the APC member is currently abated and he cannot continue to act as chairman of the party.
He argued that 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 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 Oshiomole should stop parading himself as the chairman of the APC.
The court has also given the APC orders not to grant Mr Oshiomhole access to the party secretariat.
It would be recalled that 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.
Oshiomhole is having a crisis with his successor in Edo and fellow party member, Governor Godwin Obaseki.