Tag: PDP crisis

Despite its leaders’ desperation for peace, the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) seems to be sinking deeper into trouble.

Leaders of former President Olusegun Obasanjo’s faction of the party’s Ogun State chapter were yesterday expelled for “anti-party activities”.

Besides, state chairmen took sides with the governors in the crisis sparked by the power struggle in the Adamawa State chapter.

The chairmen insisted that Alhaji Mijinwa Kaugama is the chairman of the party.

National Chairman Bamanga Tukur is backing Mr. Joel Madaki.

Adamawa State Governor Murtala Nyako is battling against Tukur for the party’s leadership .

Nyako, with the support of governors, is backing Kaugama.

At a meeting at the weekend in Abuja, the 36 state chairmen urged the party to call a meeting of its highest organ, the the National Executive Council (NEC), to resolve the Adamawa crisis.

They disowned the various congresses that produced the Madaki faction.

In a communique signed by the Benue State chairman, Dr. Emmanuel Agboh, who heads the forum, and secretary, Makanjuola Ogundipe, the chairmen said they would continue to relate with the Kaugama-led executive in Adamawa State.

The communique said: “The conference expressed delight on the development in Adamawa State which saw to the re-instatement of the Kaguma-led executive and appealed for continued fraternity on the part of members so as to further enhance the party’s internal cohesion.

“Kaugama attended the PDP chairmen’s conference and we recognised him as the state chairman. We are not aware of the Joel Madaki group and he is not one of us and, therefore, we are not aware that any other congress election took place.

“Moreover, our governors that are the leaders of the party in the states have spoken and we are supporting their position that the state executive of the party in Adamawa is the one led by Kaugama.

“As chairmen of the party in the states, we are expressing delight on the position taken by the governors of the party and that is why we are expressing our support”, the communique stated.

In Abeoluta, the governorship candidate of the party in the 2011 election, Gen. Adetunji Olurin, was expelled.

National Auditor Mr. Bode Mustapha and the Chairman of the faction believed to be loyal to Obasanjo, Senator Dipo Odujinrin, were also expelled.

In a statement, Publicity Secretary Waliu Oladipupo said Ogun PDP, under the leadership of Mr. Adedayo Bayo, expelled Olurin, Mustapha and Odujirin in line with Section 58 (1) b, f, j, k and I of the party’s Constitution.

The party also suspended Mr. Dapo Adeyemi and Mr. Yahaya Ahmed from Ifo Local Government and Ado/Odo Ota Local Government for six years, in accordance with Section 58 58 (1) b, f, j, k and I of the party’s constitution.

The five former members had earlier been suspended on November 3, last year for one month, following alleged anti-party activities.

Oladipupo said the affected members failed to appear before a disciplinary committee to defend the charges against them within the 30 days stipulated by the party’s constitution.

The party said as a responsible organisation that believes in discipline and the Rule of Law, it would initiate contempt proceedings against the former members and those suspended “since they have continuously shown their disdain for the judiciary”.

The party recalled that the Federal High Court in Lagos, in a judgment delivered on November 16, last year, nullified the purported congress that they conducted and ordered their arrest and prosecution for holding themselves out as officers of the party in Ogun State.

This was sequel to two judgments delivered by an Ogun State High Court sitting in Ilaro which on 19th June and 3rd August, 2012, affirmed the Mr. Adebayo Dayo-led executive is the authentic management body for the party and nullified the list of candidates submitted for the 21st July, 2012 council election in Ogun State by the other faction.

Sacked National Secretary of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) Prince Olagunsoye Oyinlola has asked the Federal High Court in Abuja to restrain the party from appointing or electing any member of the party as his successor.

He also pleaded with the court for a stay of execution of its judgment of January 11, 2013 in order not to “foist a situation of complete helplessness on the Court of Appeal.”

The party last week appointed Deputy National Secretary, Onwe Solomon Onwe, in compliance with a declaratory order of the judgment of the court that Oyinlola must vacate office.

Oyinlola is seeking an order to restrain any PDP member (including Onwe) from occupying the office of the National Secretary.

But the party said it will not go back on the appointment of an acting National Secretary.

It was gathered that the PDP might fill the vacant slot within 21 days given by Justice Abdu Kafarati of the Federal High Court.

In a Motion on Notice filed at the Federal High Court, Oyinlola is seeking seven reliefs including an order to restrain the PDP from appointing a new National Secretary pending the determination of his appeal.

The reliefs, sought through his counsel, Chief Kunle Kalejaye (SAN), are as follows:

“An order of stay of execution of the judgment delivered on the 11th day of January 2013 by this Honourable Court in Suit No: FHC/ABJ/CS/504/2012 pending the hearing and determination of the appeal filed against by the 1st Defendant/Applicant/Appellant.

“An order of injunction restraining the respondents by themselves, agents, servants, privies or otherwise from taking any step or further steps whatsoever to remove the applicant as the National Secretary of Peoples Democratic Party(PDP) pending the determination of the appeal filed and now pending in the Court of Appeal.

“An order of injunction restraining any member of PDP from assuming or further assuming the office of the National Secretary of PDP.

“An order of injunction restraining any member of the PDP from performing or further performing the functions of the National Secretary of the party pending the determination of the appeal filed and pending in the Court of Appeal.

“An order of injunction restraining the PDP from convening any Zonal Congress or National Congress of the party with a view to electing or selecting the National Secretary of the PDP pending the determination of the appeal filed and pending in the Court of Appeal.

“An order of injunction restraining the PDP from rectifying the records of the applicant/ appellant by deleting name of the 1st defendant as the National Secretary of the 3rd respondent and replacing it with any other name.”

Oyinlola advanced four grounds to guide the court to grant a stay of execution of its judgment.

The grounds are: “The applicant has promptly lodged an appeal against the aforesaid judgment at the Court of Appeal.

“The res or subject matter of the suit will be destroyed unless execution of the aforesaid judgment is stayed.

“A situation of complete helplessness will be foisted on the Court of Appeal unless an order for stay of execution of the aforesaid judgment is granted by this Honourable Court.

“There is need to stay execution of the judgment so that the applicant’s pending appeal will not be rendered nugatory.”

It was gathered that the Federal High Court might hear Oyinlola’s application on Friday.

A source added: “Due to the public holiday on Thursday, the court has deferred the hearing of the application to Friday.”

But while Oyinlola is battling with a stay of execution application, the National Secretariat of the PDP is already planning to hold a Zonal Congress.

A top PDP source, who spoke in confidence, said: “The party will certainly hold a Zonal Congress in the Southwest to elect a new National Secretary. This will be conducted in line with the order of the Federal High Court.

“The modalities for the Zonal Congress are being worked out. As soon as we have the modalities in place, the Southwest will produce a new National Secretary.

“One of the processes has to do with the notification of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) of our plans to hold a new Zonal Congress. We are about doing so because INEC must supervise it.

“So far, there is no going back on the appointment of the acting National Secretary because nature abhors vacuum.

“Oyinlola’s prayers amounted to grounding the activities of PDP. If there is no National Secretary, how will the party operate? The Federal High Court has removed Oyinlola and the PDP constitution is explicit that the Deputy National Secretary shall act where there is any issue with the office of the National Secretary.

“On the point of law, our counsel, Mr. J. K Gadzama (SAN), will reply him that what he is asking the court to do the impossible.

“I can tell you that the party is shopping for a new National Secretary from the Southwest in line with the pledge of the National Chairman, Alhaji Bamanga Tukur that the zone will still retain the office.”