APC crisis deepens as court affirms Gaidom as party chairman

The All Progressives Congress is enmeshed in deep crisis as the APC Deputy National Secretary, Victor Giadom, who declared himself as the acting national chairman after the Court of Appeal suspended the substantive Chairman, Adams Oshiomhole, obtained a court order affirming him as the acting chairman on Thursday.

The High Court of Federal Capital Territory,  which gave the latest order, also directed Giadom to preside over the party’s National Executive Committee meetings.

But the pro-Oshiomhole faction led by Senator Abiola Ajimobi began consultations with the APC stakeholders in the South-South with the aim of replacing  Giadom as the deputy national secretary.

It also went ahead to inaugurate its primary and appeal committees for the Edo State governorship election.

The leadership crisis in the ruling party began on Tuesday when the Court of Appeal sitting in Abuja upheld the judgment of the FCT High Court, which suspended Oshiomhole as the national chairman.

On Tuesday night, the APC National Working Committee held an emergency meeting, where Ajimobi, who is receiving treatment for COVID-19 in a Lagos hospital, was appointed acting chairman.

But on Wednesday morning, Giadom, who cited an order given by the Abuja court in  March, declared himself as the acting national chairman.

A few hours later, 15 NWC members led by the National Vice-Chairman, South-South,   Hilliard Eta, disowned Giadom and affirmed Ajimobi as the acting national chairman.

Court renews order allowing Giadom to act as APC chairman

On Thursday,  the High Court of the Federal Capital Territory, Abuja,  extended its March order, which allowed Giadom to act as the national chairman.

The court permitted  Giadom to act as the national chairman of the party for 14 days.

Justice Samira Bature had, on March 16, 2020, in a motion ex parte filed by the APC National Vice Chairman (North-East), Mustapha Salihu, ordered Giadom to be acting chairman.

The plaintiff’s counsel, Wole Afolabi, on Thursday applied to the court for an extension of the interim order.

Justice Bature granted a two-week extension of the  March 16, 2020 interim order.

The judge cited Rule 3 of the COVID-19 Practice Direction of the FCT High Court.

The order read, “Consequent and in line with Rule 3 of the COVID-19 Practice Direction of the FCT High Court, 2020, the order of this court made on the 16th day of March, 2020 is hereby extended for a period of two (2) weeks.

“Application is hereby granted as prayed,” Bature stated.

The court also allowed,  Salihu, to act as national secretary pending the determination of the substantive suit.

Joined as defendants in the motion marked FCT/HC/M/6447/2020, are the Legal Adviser of the party, Babatunde Ogala; the National Publicity Secretary, Lanre Issa-Onilu; the National Secretary, Waziri Bulama and the party,  and the APC itself.

Salihu had in the suit  sought an interim order allowing Giadom to pilot the affairs of the party as acting chairman.

He had also in the motion sought an order allowing Giadom to preside at all meetings of the party’s NEC.

The applicant also sought an interim order restraining the APC and its officers or anyone purporting to act as an officer of the 4th defendant ( the APC)from preventing or in any way disturbing Giadom from functioning as the acting chairman.

Now, Giadom is acting national chairman – Lawyer

The lawyer to  Giadom, Afolabi, who appeared on a Channels’ Television Programme, Politics Today, in Abuja on Thursday, argued that by virtue of the latest court order, Giadom was the APC acting national chairman.

“As of today, Victor Giadom is the Acting National Chairman until a national convention is held.”