*Asks INEC, security agencies to disregard suspension reports
“We hereby urge INEC, law enforcement agencies and the general public to disregard the news of the purported expulsion of Chief Victor Giadom.”
Legal counsel to Chief Victor Giadom, the Acting National Chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Chief Oluwole Afolabi, has issued a warning to members of the party he said were trying to force a fait accompli on the court and thereby tie its hands, by their claim that his client has been suspended from the membership of the party.
By a dictionary meaning, fait accompli is explained as “a thing that has already happened or been decided before those affected hear about it, leaving them with no option but to accept it.”
By attempting to suspend Chief Giadom from the party, therefore, the legal counsel warned “the characters involved” to beware as such attempt, according to him, paves to nothing but mere effort in futility.
Chief Oluwole Afolabi was reacting to a statement purportedly issued by Livingstone Wechie, Media Adviser to the APC Rivers State Chairman, Chief Igo Aguma, to the effect that the Acting National Chairman of APC, Chief Victor Giadom has been suspended from the party.
He reminded the APC faction how a similar conduct like this, orchestrated by the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to expel RT. Hon. Amaechi from the party while he was in court challenging the results of the Rivers State Governorship election, was condemned and rejected by the Supreme Court.
The purported expulsion of Chief Giadom is ineffective and contemptuous, the legal counsel said in the statement on Sunday June 21, 2020, titled “Purported explosion of Chief Victor Giadom from the APC”.
The statement read in details:
“Our attention has been drawn to a Statement purportedly issued by a Livingstone Wechie, Media Adviser to the APC Rivers state Chairman, Chief Igo Aguma to the effect that the Acting National Chairman of APC, Chief Victor Giadom has been suspended from the Party.
“We wish to state that the statement and the purported expulsion were done contemptuously of the order of the FCT High Court issued on 16th of March, 2020, by Hon. Justice S.U Bature in Suit No. FCT/HC/M/6447/2020 which imbued Chief Victor Giadom with the authority to act as the National Chairman of the Party following the suspension of Adams Oshiomhole as the National Chairman.
“The law is trite that a member of a political party cannot be suspended from the party while he’s in court asserting a vested right as a member of the party. By attempting to suspend Chief Giadom from the party, the characters involved are trying to force a fait accompli on the court and thereby tie the hands of the court.
“A similar conduct orchestrated by the PDP to expel RT. Hon. Amaechi from the party while he was in court challenging the results of the Rivers State Governorship election was condemned and rejected by the Supreme Court.
“The purported expulsion of Chief Giadom is ineffective and contemptuous.
“We hereby urge INEC, law enforcement agencies and the general public to disregard the news of the purported expulsion of Chief Victor Giadom.
“In line with the provisions of the Constitution of the APC, as affirmed by the Order of S.I.U. Bature J. and a plethora of legal authorities, Chief Victor Giadom remains the Acting National Chairman of the APC. Kindly find attached the said Court Order,” Chief Afolabi said.
The Order.
