Following the conflicting rulings by two courts over the status of Adams Oshiomhole as the chairman of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) and the crisis afterwards, the police has sealed off the party’s national secretariat in Abuja.
On Wednesday, Justice Danlami Senchi of the Abuja High Court, reacting to the suit filed by some members of the party, ordered the suspension of Mr Oshiomhole as the national chairman pending the determination of a substantive suit.This judgement was followed almost immediately by a heavy security presence at the entrance to the party secretariat.
In a counter judgement passed by a Federal High Court sitting in Kano, on Thursday, it ordered that the status quo be maintained, pending the hearing of the motions on notices filed.
Meanwhile, Mr Oshiomhole had filed an appeal against his suspension at the Court of Appeal immediately after the first judgement.
LOCK-DOWN
The Inspector General of Police, Mohammed Adamu, at a meeting at the Force Headquarters with members of the party National Working Committee (NWC) on Friday, warned the warring factions to stay off the party secretariat till the issue is resolved.
Another team from the State Security Service was added to the existing tight security at the party secretariat, this reporter confirmed from workers at the secretariat.
Also, a reliable source within the party NWC told PREMIUM TIMES the stance of the IGP on this festering legal fiasco. He said Mr Adamu will be abiding by the FCT High Court judgement till the Court of Appeal gives its verdict on the matter.
“Based on what the IG said at the meeting with the NWC, it is obvious that the security agency is on the side of the first judgement restraining the chairman from accessing the secretariat. “This made the NWC agree with the IG that the security agency should take over the secretariat till the appeal properly disposes of the case either way before we know what to go for as a party.
“The only way to vacate that (judgement) is if a superior court, which is the Appeal Court says the chairman should be reinstated, the security men will then oblige,” the source told this reporter.
Force spokesperson, Frank Mba, did not respond to phone calls or text messages seeking a reaction to the report.
‘Calling NEC meeting is unconstitutional’
Meanwhile, in a bid to resolve the lingering crisis within the ruling APC, an emergency National Executive Committee (NEC) meeting has been summoned by the ‘former’ acting national secretary, Victor Gaidom.
PREMIUM TIMES reported how Mr Gaidom, an ally of Salihu Mustapha, the national vice-chairman of the party (North-east), was controversial replaced by the party NWC hours after the suspension of the embattled national chairman.
He was replaced by Waziri Bulama.
Reacting to the constitutionality of Mr Gaidom signing such a statement for the party at this moment, another member of the NWC in a phone interview on Saturday morning said officer does not have such a right.
“Even if we (APC) do not have a new acting secretary, and he (Mr Gaidom) is still the acting secretary of the party, there is no part in our constitution that gives him the right to do so.
“And to even call meetings, we have procedures, the procedures in the constitution indicate that the NWC must meet and agree, not an individual doing it,” the official, who did not want to be named, said.
This was announced in a party statement issued on Wednesday and referenced as the resolution of the party on January 14, 2020 during the meeting of the NWC at the party’s national secretariat.
