The All Progressives Congress said its court-suspended chairman Adams Oshiomhole will hand over to Senator Abiola Ajimobi, deputy national chairman, for the south.
The party said it was guided by the advice of its legal department, according to a statement by national publicity secretary, Lanre Issa-Onilu.
“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”.”
But there is a snag.
Ajimobi is right now critically ill in the hospital, battling a serious COVID-19 infection that has made doctors put him on the ventilator for close to two weeks.
Asked about what the party would do, since Ajimobi may not be available, a party source said the party will look further into the hierarchical structure and pick the next person in line.
On March 4, Justice Danlami Senchi, a judge of the FCT High Court in Abuja, ordered the interim suspension of Oshiomhole as national chairman.
Victor Giadom, the deputy national secretary took over the running of the party.
Since then, the APC had filled all its vacant executive positions and appointed a substantive national secretary and vice chairman.
Oshiomhole will now need to go back to the high court to defend the substantive suit.
”Oshiomhole will remain suspended pending the determination of the suit”, the judge had ruled in March. .
Oshiomhole’s problem started from home in Edo State, when he was suspended as a member of the party by his ward, a fallout of his battle with Governor Godwin Obaseki.
The suspension was upheld at all levels, up to the state level. Oshiomhole did not challenge the action.
This made Justice Senchi to observe that it was wrong of the APC to have kept Oshiomhole as chairman after he was suspended by his state chapter of the party.
Later, one Afolabi approached the court to get a court backing for the suspension.
This led to the March 4 ruling that threw Oshiomhole out of his chair as APC chief executive.