By Olawale Abdul-Fatah
Edo State former Governor, Adams Oshiomhole, has appealed his interim suspension as National Chairman of All Progressive Congress (APC).
In an appeal filed at the Court of Appeal in Abuja, Oshiomhole urged the court to nullify the ruling for him to remain in office as chairman of the ruling party.
The former governor filed the appeal with suit number FCT/HC/CV/837/2020, hours after a High Court, sitting in Jabi, Federal Capital Territory (FCT) ordered his interim suspension on yesterday.
The interim suspension, the court explained, would be in effect pending determination of a substantive suit against the former labour union leader who’s leadership of the ruling party had come under fire after several party members took to streets in protest of what they termed as “failure of party leadership under Oshiomole”.
The presiding judge, Danlami Senchi, who recalled that the defendant had been suspended from APC at ward level, reiterated that all persons, including political parties and government officials, were bound by the Nigerian constitution, according to which Oshiomole was, at time of judgement, a suspended member of the party.
In his ruling on Wednesday, Senchi explained that as a suspended member, it was expected that Oshiomole be restricted from functioning as the party National Chairman, adding that the suspension order became necessary following an application of interlocutory injunction which asked the court to issue suspension on his continued activities in the party,
The judge held that Oshiomhole should stop parading himself as the party chairman pending hearing and determination of the substantive suit which was fixed for April 7 and 8, 2020, adding that the party National Secretariat was expected to deny him access to its building and facilities.
