A federal high court in Kano has issued an interim order to set aside the suspension of Adams Oshiomhole as the National Chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC).
The judge, Lewis Allagoa, at its sitting on Thursday, asked parties involved to “maintain the status quo ante bellum (the situation before the current state)” pending the court’s final decision.
The judge gave the ruling following an application by one Aliyu Rabiu praying the court to stop the APC and INEC from effecting Oshiomhole’s suspension.
A Federal Capital Territory, FCT, High Court had on Wednesday ordered Oshiomhole to stop parading himself as National Chairman of the ruling party.
Justice Danlami Senchi had ruled that the APC National Chairman should step down pending the determination of a suit seeking his removal from office.
The judge had ruled on an application of an interlocutory injunction following his suspension as a member of the APC from Etsako ward 10 in Edo State.
However, Oshiomhole appealed the ruling before Justice Lewis Allagoa-led court in Kano.
The application specifically asked the court to stop those involved in the matter from giving effect to the resolution of the APC helmsman’s ward to suspend him in 2019.
In January, Mustapha Salihu, APC national vice national north-east, said Oshiomhole should not be regarded as APC national chairman since he was suspended by his state chapter of the party.
There have been calls for Oshiomhole’s removal as APC national chairman. The Progressive Governors Forum had said the party could no longer win elections with him at the helm.
In November 2019, the Edo chapter of the APC suspended Oshiomhole.
Anselm Ojezua, chairman of APC in the state, said this is as a result of the role of Oshiomhole in the crisis rocking the state chapter of the party.
He also said a vote of no confidence was passed on Oshiomhole by the chairmen of the APC in the 18 local government areas (LGAs) of the state.
