APC crisis worsens as another court approves Gaidom as acting national chairman

A federal capital territory high court on Monday granted an interim order allowing Victor Giadom, acting national secretary of the All Progressives Congress (APC), to act as the party’s national chairman.

Samira Bature, a judge, gave the order following a motion ex parte filed by Mustapha Salihu, the party’s national vice chairman, north-east.

Salihu had sought an interim order allowing Giadom to act as national chairman and preside over meetings of the party’s national executive committee (NEC) pending the decision of the party’s NEC.

He also sought an order restraining the APC and its officers or anyone from preventing Giadom from functioning as the acting chairman pending the hearing of the motion on notice.

The judge granted all the prayers sought by the applicant and adjourned the matter to March 20.

Meanwhile, an appeal court in Abuja has ordered the APC not to enforce the ruling of a FCT high court which ordered Oshiomhole’s suspension.

In his ruling on Monday, Abubakar Yahaya, chairman of a three-man panel, held that Oshiomhole remains chairman of the ruling party pending the determination of his application.

Oshiomhole had asked the court to set aside the suspension.

Shortly after the court ordered his suspension, Gaidom said he had taken over control of the ruling party.

The NEC meeting of the party initially scheduled for Tuesday was suspended indefinitely after a meeting between President Muhammadu Buhari and some governors of the party.

On Sunday, Bisi Akande, chairman of the party’s reconciliation committee, accused members of the APC of relying on the courts rather than the internal mechanism put in place by the party to check disputes.