Edo Guber: ‘Put God First’ - Oshiomhole Tells Politicians

Embattled National Chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Adams Oshiomhole, on Wednesday evening disclosed that he has accepted the Appeal Court judgement which upheld his suspension from the party in good faith and that he will reveal his next line of action after discussing with his lawyers.

On the tussle for his position by the deputy national secretary, Victor Giadom and two other members of the party’s national working committee, Oshiomhole warned the former to respect the party constitution even as he frowned at the reversal of the decision of a screen committee and the party to disqualify Governor Godwin Obaseki from the APC primaries ahead of the Edo guber election.

AllNews had reported Giadom as saying that he is assuming office as acting national chairman of the APC in compliance with the order of the court. He also declared as invalid, all processes which led to the disqualification of Governor Godwin Obaseki from the June 22 APC primary election in Edo state, hinging it on a “strict compliance with the provisions of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria that forbids anyone who is interested in a cause to be a judge in that same cause”.

He maintained that a subsisting order of the Federal Capital Territory High court delivered on the 16th of March 2020, by Justice S.U. Bature, ordered that with the earlier suspension of Oshiomhole, and that he (Giadom) should act as the National Chairman of the party.

But speaking when he featured on the Channels Television programme Politics Today, the suspended chairman said, “My advice to my brother, Victor, is about common sense – in the absence of the Chairman, there is nothing in our rules and the court can only interpret the rules of the party and the Constitution of Nigeria.

“It serves the common sense that if the chairman is absent, it should be the deputy. In the absence of the deputy, it is the vice-chairman. How does the deputy secretary come in? As we speak, we have a secretary in the office. People should put God first, our party’s interest second, and our democracy deep in their hearts and not trying to use any externality to destabilise it."

Oshiomhole was first suspended by an Abuja High Court in early March following an application filed by one Oluwole Afolabi, a counsel to one of the aggrieved National Working Committee members. Afolabi, in his application dated and filed on January 16, outlined the earlier vote of no confidence passed on the national chairman by his primary constituency in Etsako Ward 10 in Edo State.

The suspension was initially lifted after the Court of Appeal granted a stay of execution of the high court’s order.

On the appellate court judgement, Oshiomhole said, “In our democracy, the court is an independent arm of government. When they hand out judgment, it is not for you to pick and choose whether to obey or not.

“I accept their judgment in good faith. I am a product of the judiciary.

“My lawyers will now look at the judgement and advise what is the next line action,” the former Edo State governor stated.