Edo APC Crisis: FCT High Court refuses ex parte motion stopping Oshiomhole as APC National Chair
THE High Court in the Federal Capital Territory, Abuja has refused to grant the ex parte Application filed by the National Vice Chairman North East of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Comrade Mustapha Salihu and the former Edo state chairman of the APC, Anselm Ojezua and others, seeking to have the National chairman of the APC, Comrade Adams Oshiomhole vacate his office.
It will be recalled that the governor Godwin Obaseki led faction of the APC in Edo state had called for the removal of Oshiomhole whom they claimed has been suspended by the party in the state. However, the move to oust the National Party Chair was frustrated Tuesday when the Court refused to grant the ex parte motion filed by Salihu, Ojezua and others but rather ordered that the Defendants (Oshiomhiole,APC and others) be put on notice before the motion is heard so as to ensure fair hearing in the matter.
In the Claimant’s Motion Ex Parte filed by their Counsel, Oluwole Afolabi, Comrade Mustapha Salihu, Ojezua & Ors, asked the court to stop the Defendant (Oshiomhole) from parading himself as National Chairman of the APC just as they urged the Inspector General of Police, the Director General of the Department of State Services (DSS) from allowing the Defendant access to the office of the Chairman pending the determination of the Motion on Notice in the suit.
However, when the matter came up for hearing, Counsel to Oshiomhole and APC, D. D. Dodo (SAN), noted that they have not been served and drew the Court’s attention to the Memorandum of Appearance and Undertaking to Accept Service of processes on behalf of the 1st & 2nd Defendants. The Claimants indicated that they will abandon prayers 1 and 2 of their Motion Ex parte which seeks leave to serve the 1st Defendant by substituted means.
The Claimants then sought to proceed to move the Motion Ex parte, but the Presiding Judge, Justice Senchi halted the move and ordered that the Defendants be put on notice to ensure fair hearing in the matter.
The order followed a heated argument by Counsel to the Defendants, Dodo SAN, who expressed shock over the alleged attempt by the Claimants to coerce the court to grant their prayers without servicing the processes to the 1st and 2nd Defendants.
Justice Senchi ruled it will hear all parties instead of granting the exparte application to have Oshiomhole vacate his office as National Chairman of the APC as requested by the Plaintiffs.
The matter was consequently adjourned to 18th February, 2020 for hearing of the Claimants’ application. Justice
