Court extends order for Giadom to act as APC’s chair

TRACKING____A High Court of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) in Maitama, Abuja has extended an earlier order directing Victor Giadom to act as the National Chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC) for the next two weeks following the suspension of the party’s National Chairman, Adams Oshiomhole from office.

The court however ordered that Giadom can act as APC’s National Chairman unhindered “unless otherwise decided by the National Executive Committee of the 4th defendant (APC).”

Justice Samiru Umar Bature gave the order on June 16, 2020 upon an application by Giadom’s lawyer, Wole Afolabi for the extension of the order, whose execution was stalled by a March 16, 2020 ex-parte order by the Court of Appeal, Abuja, halting the execution of a March 4, 2020 order by Justice Danlami Senchi of the High Court of the FCT, suspending Oshiomhole.

A copy of the order, made in a motion marked: FCT/HC/M/6447/2020, reads: “Upon listening to Wole Afolabi, Esq. counsel to the plaintiff /applicant praying this honourable court to extend the lifespan of the order of this court made on the 16th of march 2020 as per a motion ex-parte, with motion No: FCT/HC/CV/6447/2020 , praying this Honourable Court for the following orders:

*An interim order of this honourable Court allowing Chief Victor Giadom (present Acting National Secretary) to pilot the affairs of the 4th defendant as Acting Chairman and to preside at all meetings of the National Executive Committee pending the decision of the National Executive committee of the 4th defendant fixed for 17th March, 2020 or any other subsequent adjourned date pending the hearing and determination of the motion on notice.

*An interim order of this honourable court restraining the 4th defendant and its officers or anyone purporting to act as an officer of the 4th defendant from preventing or in any way disturbing Chief Victor Giadom (present Acting National Secretary) from functioning as the Acting Chairman (unless otherwise decided by the National Executive Committee of the 4th defendant) pending the hearing and determination of the motion on notice

“Consequently and in line with Rule No.5 of the COVID 19 Practice Directions 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 a hereby granted as prayed.”

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Justice Bature had, in a ruling on March 16, 2020, in a suit filed by a chieftain of the APC, Comrade Mustapha Salihu, ordered that Giadom assume the position of the party’s Acting National Chairman.

The judge also ordered that Salihu, who claimed to be the APC’s National Vice Chairman (North East), to act as the party’s Secretary.

Before Giadom and Salihu could execute the court’s orders, Oshiomhole obtained an order ex-parte on the same March 16, 2020 stopping the execution of the March 4, 2020 order by Justice Senchi suspending Oshiomhole.

But on June 16, 2020 (the day the Court of Appeal’s judgments, giving effect to Oshiomle’s suspension) a lawyer to the plaintiff in the suit by Salihu, Wole Afolabi, returned to Justice Bature’s court for an extension of the earlier orders, a request the judge granted.

Defendants in the suit are Babatunde Ogala, Lanre Issa-Onilu, Waziri Bulama and APC.

The court also on June 16, 2020 ordered that Salihu steps in as the APC’s Acting National Secretary

Copies of the orders sighted on Thursday, bore a stamp dated June 18, 2020, indicating that they were released by the court on June 18, 2020.

The order made in respect of Salihu was on a motion marked:FCT/HC/M/7707/2020, which reads: “Upon careful consideration of the motion ex-parte with motion No. M/7707/2020 and the accompanying affidavit of Ohiniva Ugwu, and upon listening to Wole Afolabi Esq., counsel for the plaintiff/applicant, praying this honourable court for the following orders:

*An interim order of this honourable court permitting the applicant (Comrade Mustapha Sallhu) who is the present National Vice Chairman (North East) of the 4th defendant (the All Progressives Congress) to act as the National Secretary of the 4th defendant pending the decision of a validly convened National Executive Committee or pending the hearing and determination of the motion on notice already filed (whichever comes first).