The National Working Committee (NWC) of the All Progressives Congress (APC) on Tuesday evening announced the appointment of former governor of Oyo State, Senator Abiola Ajimobi as its acting chairman.
The former Governor who is reported to be battling Covid-19 is the Deputy National Chairman (South)of the party before the appointment.
His appointment as the acting chairman of the ruling party followed affirmation by the Court of Appeal sitting of the suspension of Adams Oshiomole as the National Chairman of APC earlier in the day.
The appellate court upheld the decision of the Federal Capital Territory High Court which in March ordered the suspension of Oshiomole as well as parading himself as the national chairman of the party.
The court also withdrew his rights and privileges as national chairman of the party including his security details.
It further held that the suspension of Oshiomole from ward 10 of Etsako local government of Edo was ratified at the ward , local government and state level as required by law.
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
Lanre Issa Onilu, the spokesperson for APC while announcing appointment of Ajimobi said, “The National Working Committee (NWC) of the All Progressives Congress (APC) has received the news indicating the Appeal Court has upheld the suspension of the Party’s National Chairman, Comrade Adams Oshiomhole by a Federal Capital Territory (FCT) High Court pending the determination of the substantive suit.
“Guided by advice from the Party’s legal department in line with the provisions of Section 14.2. (iii) of the Party’s constitution, the Deputy National Chairman (South), Sen. Abiola Ajimobi will serve as the Party’s Acting National Chairman.
“According to Section 14.2. (iii),of the APC constitution, the Deputy National Chairman, North/South “Shall act as the National Chairman in the absence of the National Chairman from his zone”.
He was appointed to act following confirmation by the Appeal Court of the suspension of the Party’s National Chairman, Comrade Adams Oshiomhole by a Federal Capital Territory (FCT) High Court pending the determination of the substantive suit.