Buhari mum as Oshiomhole accuses govs, minister behind ouster plot

The intrigues to remove Oshiomhole, who emerged as the national chairman of the party in June 2018, thickened on Wednesday when an Abuja high court presided over by Justice Danlami Senchi ordered the party to stop recognising him pending the determination of a substantive suit seeking his perpetual removal.

Since the court order, Daily Trust gathered that those pushing for Oshiomhole's removal have intensified efforts to perfect their plot even as those in his camp were leaving no stone unturned to foil the bid. As the controversy rages on, Daily Trust reports that the presidency has however kept mum on the matter.

Meanwhile, immediately after a Federal High Court sitting in Kano granted Oshiomhole's prayers against the Abuja ruling, he rushed to the Presidential Villa, Abuja, where he met with President Buhari.

Our correspondent reports that at the end of the meeting, no statement was issued by presidential spokespersons.

When contacted, the Senior Special Assistant to the President on Media and Publicity, Garba Shehu, did not reply to a text message sent by our correspondent on the matter.

But while speaking after the meeting with reporters Oshiomhole said a minister and some governors were plotting to remove him as the party's national chairman. He did not disclose their names.

"Let me say that those behind this plot, the hands you saw which includes as you saw yesterday (Wednesday), the Edo State governor and his people jubilating but that is the irony of life that you will help give birth to a child and the child look for cutlass to want to chop off your neck. It has happened in history, it has happened in this country so I won't be the only person.

"But there are other forces that see me for whatever reason as a threat to them. And those leading this anti-Oshiomhole campaign, some of them I emphasise, cannot even boost of a councillor in their state even as they lay claim to leadership position in our party,ÔÇØ he said.

Oshiomhole also said some of those plotting to get rid of him are doing so because they wanted to be president in 2023.

He said they held midnight meeting in a minister's house on how to pull him down.

Asked whether the president was comfortable with his leadership in the APC, Oshiomhole said: "Now, you want me to read him, I will decline. If you are in doubt, you are so privileged here that you can ask the President: comfortable or uncomfortable. I am not a comfort reader, what I have done I have explained to you, that much I know is the truth. As for questions that have to do with inner feelings, those you can confirm if you are in doubt.ÔÇØ

Oshiomhole remains APC chairman, Court rules

A Federal High Court in Kano has restrained the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) from recognising any other person aside Adams Oshiomhole as the national chairman of the APC.

Justice A. Lewis-Allagoa gave the ex-parte order yesterday following Wednesday's ruling of an FCT High Court in Jabi, Abuja.

Justice Lewis-Allagoa's order followed an ex-parte motion filed by one Aliyu Muhammad Rabiu and argued on his behalf by his counsel, Johnmary Chukwukasi Jideobi, before the Kano court, court documents sighted by our reporter revealed.

Aside INEC, other defendants in the motion are APC, Oshiomhole, the Inspector General of Police and the Director-General of State Security Services.

The judge ordered that "All the parties in this suit are directed to maintain status quo ante bellum pending the hearing and disposal of the motion on notice filed herein, that is, an order directing the 1st, 3rd, 4th and 5th defendants either by themselves, servants, privies, assigns or any officer howsoever described and by whatever name called from giving effect to the purported resolution of Ward 10, Etsako West Local Government Area of 2nd November, 2019 suspending the 2nd defendant as a member of the 1st defendant pending the hearing and determination of the Motion on Notice.ÔÇØ

Justice Lewis-Allagoa also ordered "That the 3rd defendant (INEC) is restrained from dealing, communicating or howsoever recognising any person other than the 2nd defendant (Oshiomhole) as the National Chairman of the 1st defendant (APC) for any party business or carrying out any duties vested on the commission by the Electoral ActÔÇØ.

The judge also abridged to seven days, the time the defendants in the suit shall enter appearance and file their processes in defence of the suit. He thereafter adjourned the matter to April 8 for hearing.

Oshomhole's appeal, stay of execution yet to be heard

Meanwhile, the appeal by Oshomhole against the ruling of an FCT High Court which suspended him from office has not been fixed for hearing.

In a Notice of Appeal No:FCT/HC/CV/837/2020 filed on Wednesday before the Court of Appeal in Abuja, Oshomhole asked the appellate court to allow the appeal and set aside the ruling of the high court delivered on March 4.

Senior lawyers divided

Meanwhile, lawyers have expressed divergent views over the decisions of the high courts.

In his view, Ahmed Raji (SAN) said the second order from the high court implied that status quo would be maintained over the matter. He said the status quo would be that the national chairman remains in office until the substantive suit is decided or until the Court of Appeal decided.

For his part, Yunus Ustaz Usman (SAN) said since both courts are of equal powers, the officials of the APC should obey the order which is earlier in time.

"Both of them have the same jurisdiction or same powers. This is because after the first one has given its own order, the second ought not to make a similar order. The second order is therefore a nullity,ÔÇØ he said.

Another Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN), Olalekan Ojos said that the order of the Federal High Court in Kano was nothing but a judicial mischief, with the court being deemed to have knowledge of the earlier order of the FCT High Court.

"The latter order represents nothing but judicial mischief. It is a very shameless attempt to ridicule the judiciary beyond redemption. It is unfortunate that the Federal High Court, Kano allowed itself to be turned into a pawn in the deadly game of politics.

"The latter order is nothing but a nullity. It is an illegal order and we should all rise to thoroughly condemn all the dramatis personae in that very shameful act,ÔÇØ Ojo said.

Activities grounded at APC secretariat

Political activities at the secretariat of the APC in Abuja have been paralysed following the drama trailing the suspension of Oshiomhole.

One of our correspondents who visited the office of the embattled party chief by noon yesterday reported that workers in the office were not at their duty posts - a development that came after scores of security operatives besieged the secretariat.

But in a swift reaction by the National Vice Chairman (North East), Mustapha Salihu, during a press conference at the party's National Secretariat, he argued that two courts of coordinate jurisdiction cannot sit on the same matter.