The embattled and recently suspended National Chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Comrade Adams Oshiomhole might not survive his current ordeal as governors within the party have declared their support for the court order suspending him.
The governors urged the party’s National Executive Council (NEC) to replace him immediately so as to fill the void created by his suspension.
Recall that Justice Danladi Senchi, of the FCT High Court in Jabi, Abuja gave the verdict on Wednesday, 4th March 2020. According to the judge, Oshiomhole should remain suspended pending the determination of the substantive suit seeking his perpetual removal as chairman of the party.
Oshiomhole, however, rushed to obtain a counter ruling from a Federal High Court In Kano asking it to set aside the ruling of Abuja High Court. He also prayed the court to restrain the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) from recognising any other person as the national chairman of the party.
The governors through the Director-General of the Progressive Governors Forum (PGF), Salihu Lukman, in a statement, released yesterday insisted that “The only possible remedy to his suspension is to humble himself and go back to his roots and resolve all the causes of the problem.
“What is the root cause of the problem? It is the suspension by his Ward 10 in Etsako West Local Government Area of Edo State. Since November 2, 2019, the Ward 10 executives passed a vote of no confidence on Oshiomhole and suspended him from the party. Somehow, Comrade Oshiomhole and his supporters treated this action of the ward executives with contempt to the point of projecting Comrade Oshiomhole as superior to the Ward”, he said. The governors said pending the resolution of the crisis, article 17 of the party’s constitution should be invoked.
“We need to invoke provisions of Article 17 (vi) which provides that in the event of a vacancy, “the relevant party organ shall appoint another person to act in his place pending ratification by the National Convention or Congress.
“The relevant party organ, in this case, may have to be the National Executive Committee (NEC). Given all the vacancies about six so far, National Chairman, Deputy National Chairman (South), Deputy National Chairman (North), National Vice Chairman (North West), National Secretary and National Auditor, who convene the NEC? This is where the organising, consultation and negotiating capacity of our leaders will be tested.”
