The All Progressives Congress,APC has been struck by fresh round of confusion as Mustapha Salihu,the plaintiff in the suit in which a FCT High Court declared Chief Victor Giadom as acting National has denied making the move.
Speaking with journalists Thursday Salihu reportedly: “I was not part of such shenanigan. It is not in my character to play such dirty politics and I condemn in strong terms those behind the act. At a time like this when the party is going through trying times, it is such a time that all lovers of the party must pull together to keep the party running.”
Furthermore, he said: “My zone, the North East, has already nominated Architect Waziri Bulama in the presence of the Senate president, APC governors from the zone and other party stakeholders as the acting national secretary. I was at the meeting where this decision was reached. So why now would I go back to obtain a court order to act as national secretary?”
Salihu’s denial came just as a Court extended Giadom’s APC acting chairmanship for 14 days, as reported by the News Agency of Nigeria.
According to NAN, an FCT High Court Maitama on Thursday extended an order earlier given to permit Chief Victor Giadom act as the National Chairman of the party to 14 days.
This came on the heels of Appeal Court’s affirmation of suspension of Adams Oshiomhole on Wednesday.
Justice Samira Bature , had on March 16 granted the interim order in a motion ex-parte, marked FCT/HC/M/6447/2020, filed by APC National Vice Chairman (North-East), Comrade Mustapha Salihu.
Joined as defendants in the motion are Babatunde Ogala; Lanre Issa-Onilu; Waziri Bulama and the party, APC.
Salihu, according to the court documents, had approached the court, through the exparte motion, seeking for an interim order allowing Giadom to pilot the affairs of the party as acting chairman .
Also (he sought an order for Giadom) to preside at all meetings of the party’s National Executive Committee (NEC) pending the decision of the party’s NEC fixed for March 17.
The applicant also sought an interim order restraining the APC and its officers or anyone purporting to act as an officer of the 4th defendant (APC) from preventing or in any way disturbing Giadom from functioning as the acting chairman.
Wole Afolabi, counsel for the plaintiffs approached the court for an extension of the interim order.
Justice Bature granted a two-week extension of the court’s March 16 interim order in line with Rule 3 of the Covid- 19 Practice Direction of the FCT High Court.
“Consequent and in line with Rule 3 of the Covid- 19 Practice Direction 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 hereby granted as prayed,” Bature stated.
Newsdiaryonline reports that the denial by Salihu yesterday may have put fresh spanner in the works.How it will change the situation on ground remains unclear
Meanwhile, family and close allies of Abiola Ajimobi debunked reports Thursday night that the acting National Chairman Abiola Ajimobi has died.
Recall that at the NWC meeting of APC Ajimobi was confirmed as the party’s acting National Chairman.In his absence however,Prince Hilliard Etta was appointed to act on Ajimobi’s behalf. (With reports by NAN)
