Adams Oshiomhole
The Appeal Court judgment upholding the dismissal of Adams Oshiomhole as Chairman of the APC has sparked wild jubilation in parts of Edo State, especially in Iyamoh, Oshiomhole’s town.
Youths of Iyamoh massed into the streets last night to “bury the last remains of APC” in the state. They made videos of their show of solidarity with ousted Governor Godwin Obaseki who was controversially forced out of the party primary.
At a pub in Iyamoh, some of the youths bought drinks, mainly beer, for as many as wanted to drink.
In the streets of Benin, angry youths were seen making bonfires of APC billboards, brooms and flags of the party which they said is dead in Edo State.
The Court of Appeal sitting in Abuja had affirmed the suspension of Adams Oshiomhole as the National Chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC).
The appellate court upheld the decision of the Federal Capital Territory High Court which in March ordered the suspension of Oshiomhole as well as parading himself as the national chairman of the party.
In a unanimous judgment, the first appeal delivered by Justice Eunice Onyemanam ,the court held that the trial court had territorial jurisdiction to have entertained the suit as it did .
The court also withdrew his rights and privileges as national chairman of the party including his security details.
The appellate predicated its decision on the ground that Oshiomhole as the first appellant is based in Abuja while the APC also had its national headquarters in Abuja.
In the judgment in the second appeal delivered by Justice Mohammed Lamido, the court held that there was no basis for the two appellants to hold that they were denied fair hearing during proceedings at the trial court .
It further held that the suspension of Oshiomhole from ward 10 of Etsako local government of Edo was ratified at the ward , local government and state level as required by law.
“The identity of those who suspended were not in doubt because in there unchallenged affidavit they made it clear that they were party members and officers of the party, therefore the appeal lacks merit,” the court held
In the two dismissed appeals Oshiomhole and the APC were the appellants.
On March 4, Juctice Danlami Senchi, a judge of the FCT high court in Abuja, ordered the suspension of Oshiomhole as national chairman pending the determination of a suit filed by one Oluwale Afolabi.
Senchi said it was wrong of the APC to have kept Oshiomhole as chairman after he was suspended by the Edo chapter of the party.
But Oshimhole approached the court of appeal seeking a stay of execution of the judgement.
