Oshiomole resumes as APC chairman after messy court battles

The National Chairman of the APC, Adams Oshiomhole on Tuesday resumed duties after surviving a plot by some leaders of the party to sack him.

Following his resumption, the National Working Committee of the All Progressives Congress lifted its suspension on the Deputy National Chairman (North), Senator Lawan Shuaibu, and National Vice-Chairman (North-West), Inuwa Abdulkadir.

This decision formed part of decisions reached at the NWC meeting at the party’s National Secretariat, Abuja, on Tuesday.

The Court of Appeal on Monday granted a stay of execution of the March 4  order of a High Court of the Federal Capital Territory suspending Oshiomhole as national chairman of the ruling party.

He said, “We have also resolved that we are going to withdraw all cases in court that any member of the NEC is involved in so that we lead by example.

“And we have shown that we are capable of managing ourselves and therefore we do not need the minister to help us resolve what we are capable of resolving.”

On lifting the suspension, the ex-Edo State governor said, “People have issues which they feel strongly about and as a result, the NWC took some decisions which affected my friend and brother, Senator  Lawal Shuaibu. The NWC had a reason for suspending him then.

“Today we have reviewed the situation and we believe that in the spirit of our renewed commitment to building unity and  a true reconciliation, we as leaders of the party elected at the convention should lead by example. And that means for those we think have offended the system, we have chosen to lift their suspension. Senator  Lawal Shuaibu can resume his duties as Deputy National Chairman (North).

“We also reviewed the matter of Inuwa Abdulkadir, National Vice-Chairman (North-West). In the same spirit. The NWC was unanimous in lifting his suspension and he resumes work with immediate effect. So, with these two decisions, the two members of the NWC who were suspended, their suspension has  been lifted.”

He added, “I have asked everyone and they have accepted, whatever they consider to be my own shortcomings, I have asked for forgiveness and they have forgiven and whatever I considered to be anyone’s shortcomings that irritated me, I have also forgiven. This is the way it should be. It can only be abnormal if people know how to fight and they do not know how to settle.”

Oshiomhole also said it was resolved that the Minister of Health, Dr Osagie Ehanire, be invited to meet with the party to brief them on the efforts being made to contain coronavirus as well as to discuss ways of finding a solution to the challenge posed by the pandemic.