Oshiomhole: A minister and some governors behind my ordeal

Adams Oshiomhole, national chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC), says a serving minister and some governors are responsible for his ordeal in the party.

Speaking with state house correspondents after meeting with President Muhammadu Buhari at Aso Rock on Thursday, Oshiomhole described himself as a child of light who will always defeat darkness.

He did not name the minister and the governors.

A federal high court in Abuja had ordered his suspension on Wednesday and the police took over the APC secretariat after the ruling.

But there was confusion on Thursday when a federal high court in Kano issued an interim order halting the suspension of Oshiomhole.

In law, a court of co-equal jurisdiction cannot review the judgment of another.

Oshiomhole said he came to the presidential villa to brief Buhari about the recent development.

“You will recall that I was here two days ago to brief Mr. President as I always on matters affecting the party. Just yesterday (Wednesday) morning suddenly I saw in the news that an FCT High Court has suspended me as national chairman. And that the person who went to court includes one of my vice chairmen, north-east, one Mustapha (Mustapha Salihu APC national vice chairman north-east) and four others. I was taken back because in the same suit they joined the APC, the police as the DSS,” he said.

“Our lawyers told me that in law that when you sue a federal agency, FCT high court has no jurisdiction to entertain it. Number two, the purported suspension of my person by my ward, first it’s not even true and I am going to give you a document to that effect so that you can form your opinion.

“Number three, I am not an officer of my ward, I am the national chairman of my party, elected at a national convention by over 7,000 delegates, so how could nine persons sit down so where and purport that they have removed a national chairman? And the court contrary to all logic, all judicial precedence find comfort in granting an interim interlocutory order to stop me from functioning pending when the matter is determine.

“In other words, he has given the order without the facts being laid before him and in the process adjourned the case to 7th of April. The calculations are clear that between now and April 7, my opponent in the system would have had ample time to do all the mischievous plans they have in place to destabilise the APC. Because, some of them have membership of more than one political party.

“But happily this afternoon, a federal high court that I believe that has jurisdiction on federal issues because the DSS, the police are not state institutions but federal institutions, gave an appropriate order to restrain the so-called suspension that was allegedly imposed on me by my ward in Edo state.

“I thought that I had a duty to brief Mr. President as the overall leader of our party about this development. Incidentally when I requested audience yesterday, I wasn’t sure what has happened today will happen. But I had a duty to inform him about the court order. But happily before coming here, the order from a federal high court made nonsense of what the FCT court purported to have done has already settled the question.

“For all those who have been worried between yesterday and today, I believe God answered their prayers, and when God answers the prayers who am I to nurse any further disappointment. I am very grateful.”

Before heading to the meeting with Buhari, Oshiomhole had asked some reporters at his Aso Drive office in Abuja if they felt pity for him.

“Are you looking at me with pity?” he had asked before rushing to a waiting car which conveyed him to the presidential villa.