Appeal Court Upholds Suspension Of Oshiomhole As APC National Chairman

The Appeal Court, suiting in Abuja, Tuesday, affirmed the suspension of Adams Oshiomhole as the national chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC).

The three-man panel held the trial court was right to have made the suspension order based on ex-parte application brought against him by five members of the party.

Oshiomhole was suspended on March 4, 2020, following an ex-parte application filed by the deputy chairman of the party (North-East), Mustapha Salihu, and five others through their lawyer, Oluwole Afolabi, in January before Justice Danlami Senchi

In a unanimous judgment, Tuesday night, in the first appeal delivered by Justice Eunice Onyemanam, the court held that the FCT High Court had territorial jurisdiction to have entertained the suit as it did and ordered Oshiomhole to stop parading himself as the national chairman of the party, until the determination of the substantive suit.

The court also upheld the withdrawal of his rights and privileges as national chairman of the party, including his security details by the police and State Security Service.

The appellate court predicated its decision on the ground that Oshiomole as the first appellant is based in Abuja while the APC also had its national headquarters in Abuja.

In the judgment on the second appeal delivered by Justice Mohammed Lamido, the court disagreed with Oshiomhole that his right to a fair hearing was breached when the trial court suspended him.

Justice Lamido further said that there was no basis for the two appellants to hold that they were denied fair hearing during proceedings at the high court.

The appellate court further held that the suspension of Oshiomhole from ward 10 of Etsako local government of Edo state was ratified at the ward, local government and state levels as required by law.

Besides, the court agreed that identities of those who suspended Oshiomhole were not in doubt because in their unchallenged affidavit,  they made it clear that they were party members and officers of the party.

In the final analysis, the court said that the appeal lacked merit and was subsequently dismissed.

In the two dismissed appeals Oshiomhole and APC were the appellants.

Respondents are  Comrade Mustapha Saliu, Anselem Ojezua, Alhaji Sank Gomina, Oshawo Stephen, Hon Fani Wabulari, Evangelist Princewil Ejoghargo, Inspector General of Police and State Security Service.