Oshiomhole Should be Removed As Chairman, R-APC Tells Court

Members of the Reformed All Progressives Congress, a splinter group in the ruling APC, on Thursday, filed a suit before the Federal High Court in Abuja praying for an order nullifying the election of the National Chairman of the party, Adams Oshiomhole,  and 52 other officers of the party.

Oshiomhole and others had emerged as the national officers of the APC at the national convention of the party held in Abuja on June 23, 2018.

But four members of the R-APC led by Buba Galadima filed the suit challenging the election and its outcome held during the convention.

They claimed to have sued “for themselves and on behalf of all the other national officers, states chairmen and states executives” of their group.

Apart from Galadima, the three other plaintiffs specifically named in the suit marked FHC/ABJ/CS/1734/18 are Kazeem Afegbua, Nicholas Asuzu and Alhaji Ametuo.

They, through their lawyer, Mr Tolu Babaleye, sued Oshiomhole, 51 others, alongside the APC and the Independent National Electoral Commission, as the defendants.

The plaintiffs, in their statement of claim, said the APC was harbouring intractable divisions and the party was awaiting a massive implosion and might collapse finally unless steps were taken.

They claimed that the situation and rancour within the party went out of hand with the congresses recently conducted by the APC at the ward, local government and state levels, culminating in the purported national NWC of the party held on June 23, 2018.

They added that the party had been factionalised.

They said the factionalisation was so evident as the crisis that had allegedly torn the party to pieces at the national and sub-national levels were in public domain.

Among other prayers,  the plaintiffs asked the court to nullify Oshiomhole and others’ election.

They prayed the court to make them the interim leaders of the party pending when fresh elections would be held.

They also asked the court to restrain the party from harassing, intimidating, suspending or expelling them.

They sought among others, ‘a declaration that having regard to the Constitution of the All Progressives Congress, particularly, Article 20 thereof, the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, the Electoral Act, the election conducted by the party at Eagles Square, Abuja, on June 23, 2018, is invalid, null and void, particularly the purported election of the following persons in the the following respective offices, namely: National Chairman, Mr Adams Oshiomhole; National Welfare Secretary, Alhaji Ibrahim Masari; National Financial Secretary, Alhaji Tunde Bello; National (representative of the) People Living with Disabilities, Misbahu L. Didi;  Zonal Secretary, North-Central, Dr. Zakari Muhammad; Zonal Organising Secretary North Central, Ibrahim M. Abdul; Zonal Women Leader, North-Central, Hajia Hassana Abdullahi; Ex-Officio, North Central, Nelson Abba; Zonal Secretary, North East, Abubakar Sadiq Ajia; Ex-Officio, North-East, Mallam Isah Azare; Zonal Secretary, North-West, Tukur A. Gusau; Zonal Organising Secretary, North-West,  Abdulmunab Muhammad; Ex-Officio, North West, Nasiru Haladu Danu; Zonal Woman Leader, South-South, Mrs Rachael Akpabio; Ex-Officio, South-South, Kotenten Ibadan; Zonal Secretary, South-West, Ayo Afolabi; Zonal Women Leader, South-West, Mrs Kemi Nelson; Ex-Officio, South-West,  Omoloye O. Akintola.

“A declaration that there being no valid election at the National Convention of the All Progressives Congress on June 23, 2018, at the Eagle Square, Abuja, thereby leaving a vacuum, the reform-minded faction of APC known as the Reformed All Progressives Congress (R-APC) validly constituted the plaintiffs and the other National Officers and State Executives of APC to fill the vacuum and act in interim capacities as officers of the APC.”