Moses Ofodeme
Former national chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Adams Oshiomhole, on Wednesday, June 19, said he has accepted the judgement over his suspension in good faith.
This comes in the aftermath of a ruling by the Court of Appeal which upheld his suspension.
Oshiomhole made this disclosure while speaking on Politics Today, a programme on Channels Television monitored.
Oshiomhole was first suspended by an Abuja High Court in early March following an application filed by one Oluwole Afolabi; a counsel to one of the aggrieved National Working Committee members.
To further aggravate the issue, the former Edo State Governor has been engaged in a political tussle with his protege and successor in office, Governor Godwin Obaseki.
As a result of this fallout, Obaseki resigned from the APC after he was disqualified from contesting re-election under the APC; a few days before the court affirmed Oshiomhole’s suspension.
However, Oshiomhole stated that he will reveal his next line of action after discussing with his lawyers.
“In our democracy, the court is an independent arm of government. When they hand out judgment, it is not for you to pick and choose whether to obey or not.
“I accept their judgment in good faith. I am a product of the judiciary.
“My lawyers will now look at the judgement and advise what is the next line action,” he said on the programme.
Oshiomhole has the option of heading to the Supreme Court to seek judicial relief.
He also waded into the attendant crisis precipitated by the deputy national secretary, Victor Giadom and members of the party’s national working committee; cautioning the former to respect the party constitution.
“My advice to my brother, Victor, is about common sense – in the absence of the Chairman; there is nothing in our rules and the court can only interpret the rules of the party and the Constitution of Nigeria.
“It serves the common sense that if the chairman is absent, it should be the deputy. In the absence of the deputy, it is the vice-chairman. How does the deputy secretary come in? As we speak, we have a secretary in the office. People should put God first, our party’s interest second; and our democracy deep in their hearts and not trying to use any externality to destabilise it,” Oshiomhole said.