The crisis rocking the All Progressives Party (APC) at the national level, took a new twist on Thursday when a Federal High Court sitting in Kano issued an interim order halting the suspension of Adams Oshiomhole, less than 24 hours after an Abuja High Court asked him to step aside until substantive suit seeking his permanent removal as the APC Chairman was determined.
In a ruling on an application brought before Justice A. Lewis-Allagoa of the Federal High Court in Kano, all parties were asked to maintain status quo pending the court’s final decision. One Aliyu Rabiu asked the court to stop the APC, the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) and the Department of State Security (DSS) from executing Oshiomhole’s suspension which was handed down by his ward in Edo State in 2019.
The order by the Abuja court issued on Wednesday and the one in Kano are different in that while the latter prevents an execution of the suspension of Oshiomhole by his ward, the former asked the embattled chairman, the APC and other respondents to obey the party’s laws.
The orders are coming from two courts – federal high court — of equal jurisdiction. This brings a twist to the situation the ruling party is in. Some people have observed that the situation may trigger a confusion as regards which court order to obey. Analysts say Oshiomhole needs to get an order from a court higher court in order to overcome his predicament and make use of conflict resolution mechanisms available in the party.
“From what I have heard, Oshiomhole is in trouble,” Babajide Kolade Otitoju, political analyst, said on a television programme, Journalists Hangout, on Thursday. “He knows he needs a higher court order to get out of the problem. This is just a stop gap measure.”
Many party members see Oshiomhole as running a one-man show. Mr. Otitoju added that there was need to rescue Oshiomhole from himself and those bent on kicking him out. All aggrieved parties should give room for dialogue.
Meanwhile, Comrade Oshiomhole visited the Aso Villa to brief the President on the matter. He said he was happy that a Federal High Court had vacated the order by a high court and that he was back.
On Wednesday night, Comrade Oshiomhole appealed the ruling given by Justice Danlami Senchi of the Abuja High Court, but no date has been set to hear the appeal. The Court of Appeal was closed on Thursday as a valedictory service was held in honour of Justice Zainab Bulkachuwa who bowed out of the bench after clocking the statutory mandatory retirement age of 70 years for Justices of the Appeal Court.
Analysts say Mr. Oshiomhole is undergoing these problems because he did not challenge his suspension by his ward last year. Babajide kolade Otitoju, an award
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