APC LG Chair Drags Oshiomhole NWC, Others To Court Over Vacant Position

APC LG Chair Drags Oshiomhole NWC, Others To Court Over Vacant Position

All Progressives Congress (APC) Chairman in Ado Ekiti local government area of Ekiti State, Hon. Michael Akinleye has instituted a legal action against APC National Working Committee led by Comrade Adams Oshiomhole, Southwest leadership of the party and former governor of Oyo State, Senator Abiola Ajimobi.

Akinleye alleged that the leadership of the party was plotting to impose Ajimobi, as the new Deputy National Chairman (South) of the party.

In the originating summon deposed to by his lawyers, T. J. Omidoyin and Tunde Oke, Akinleye who claimed to be an aspirant for the position said his right had been violated and grossly infringed upon by the action taken by the Com. Adams Oshiomhole-led National Working Committee.

He stated that he had expressed his interest to contest for the position in a letter dated 20th January 2020, which he forwarded to Ekiti APC to nominate him for the position, and this he attached as an exhibit.

Apart from Ajimobi and Akinleye, Senator Gbenga Aluko is also vying for the vacant and was the preferred candidate from Ekiti APC.

The position became vacant since 2018, after former governor of Ekiti State Chief Niyi Adebayo, was appointed the Minister of Industry Trade and Investment by President Muhammad Buhari.

Joined in the suit are APC National Chairman, Adams Oshiomhole(1st respondent),  National Working Committee(2nd), National Vice Chairman, South West(3rd), APC South-West Zonal Caucus(4th), Ekiti State Chairman of APC(5th), Ekiti State Caucus of APC(6th), All Progressives Congress (7th) and Senator Abiola Ajimobi(8th).

In the originating summon with registration number  FHC/AD/C8/8/2020 filed before the Federal High Court sitting in Ado Ekiti, Akinleye sought an order restraining the Party from nominating Senator Ajimobi or anybody to the vacant position without following the due process and dictate of the APC constitution.

He also asked the court to determine whether Ajimobi’s imposition was not a violation of Articles 17 and 20 of the party, which stipulated that such position can only be filled by a consensus among aspirants or by-elections during congress and convention.

The plaintiff sought an order compelling the party “to follow its constitution, customs and practices by filling the vacant position with a duly nominated candidate from Ekiti State to complete the unexpired tenure of four years mandate given to the State through the former occupier of the office, Otunba Adeniyi Adebayo, who is currently the Minister for Trade, Industry and investment and not from Oyo State or any other States in Nigeria”.

To this end, the claimant sought an order restraining the Southwest APC Caucus from forwarding the name of Senator Abiola Ajimobi or any other name to the National Chairman, National Working Committee, to fill the vacant office,  having not followed the due process as enshrined in Articles 17 and 20 of APC constitution, pending the determination of the substantive suit.

He also sought an order of the court restraining the National Chairman, National Working Committee and APC from accepting any nomination to the office of the Deputy National Chairman, pending the hearing and determination of the substantive suit in the case.

An order of the court compelling the National Chairman and National Working Committee to reject and disregard any name sent by the APC Southwest National Vice Chairman, the APC south-west Caucus, to fill the position of the Deputy National Chairman, in the event that any name has already been sent pending the hearing and the determination of the substantive suit in the case.

Akinleye also urged the court to determine, “whether the purported nomination of Senator Abiola Ajimobi as the Deputy National Chairman by the party organs and personalities was done in accordance with Article 20 of APC constitution, 2014, as amended.

“Whether the purported nomination of Senator  Abiola Ajimobi as the Deputy National Chairman of APC, South, was done in line with the provision of Article 17 of APC Constitution, 2014, as amended, and the established customs and practices of the APC”.

The case has been slated for March 12 for definite hearing, after all the parties have been duly served.

However, the Zonal Publicity Secretary of the party, Hon Karounwi Oladapo, confirmed to newsmen that the zonal caucus of the party and other respondents had been duly served.