Oyinlola notifies party of resumption plan
Baraje, others suspended, Tukur tells INEC
Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) leaders seem to have waved a final bye to peace – going by developments in the ruling party.
National Chairman Bamanga Tukur told the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) yesterday that Alhaji Kawu Baraje, Ibrahim Kazaure, Prince Olagunsoye Oyinlola and Sam Jaja had been suspended from the party.
But Oyinlola told the party that he was set to assume duties as national secretary.
To former Kwara State Governor Dr. Bukola Saraki, a senator, the suspension of the party chiefs is an indication that the Tukur faction had blocked the road to peace.
“It is in bad taste,” Saraki said.
In Yola, the Adamawa State capital, Governor Murtala Nyako pronounced the peace process dead and buried.
Nyako said by ignoring a legitimate court order to reinstate Oyinlola, the PDP had “killed and buried” the peace process.
Nyako’s Director of Press and Public Affairs, Ahmad Sajo, who spoke on behalf of the governor, said:, “We always knew there was no peace process. The peace process is dead and buried. The court had given them a soft-landing but instead of obeying the court order, look at the step they have taken.”
Nyako, who spoke at a parley with members of the Bishops and Emminent Clerics Forum of Nigeria, Niger-Delta Chapter, in Yola, said he was no longer prepared to work with the PDP.
In a statement issued in Abuja, the PDP said its leadership had written to INEC, notifying it of the suspension.
“The National Working Committee, in a letter dated November 12, 2013 and signed by the National Chairman, Alhaji Bamanga Tukur, informed INEC of the suspension of the above mentioned individuals on Monday, November 11, 2013 for engaging in anti-party activities in violation of the provisions of the PDP Constitution.
“The decision of the NWC was in exercise of its powers under Section 57 (3) of the PDP constitution, 2012 (as amended) and in the overall interest of the Party and its members,” the statement signed by Chief Olisa Metuh, National Publicity Secretary, said.
Oyinlola, in a letter dated November 12, and addressed to the PDP’s National Legal Adviser, Mr. Victor Kwom, asked the party to prepare the ground for his resumption.
Oyinlola attached to his letter a copy of the Appeal Court judgment that ordered his re-instatement and asked the party to implement the decision of the appellate court by recognising him as its national secretary.
The letter reads: “As you may be aware, the Court of Appeal, Abuja Judicial Division has nullified the January 11, 2013 judgement of the Federal High Court, Abuja which removed me from office as the National Secretary of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).
“The directive of the court was implemented by the Independent National Electoral Commission INEC), which consequently struck out my name off its register and other documents, as the National Secretary of the PDP.
“Following the nullification of the above stated judgment of the Federal High Court, Abuja, presided over by Justice Abdul Kafarati by the Court of Appeal, Abuja, which is a superior court of competent jurisdiction, which also ruled that I was wrongfully removed from office as PDP National Secretary, this correspondence serves to inform you of my decision to continue to perform my duties as the validly elected National Secretary of the Peoples Democratic Party.
“Your records would reveal that I was validly elected into office as National Secretary at the national convention of PDP held on Saturday March 24, 2012.
“You are requested to kindly note this development and reflect it accordingly in your records, in compliance with the court judgment delivered on Wednesday November 06, 2013.
“A copy of the judgement is attached for your attention and further necessary action, please. Kindly note that in compliance with the constitution of the PDP, I am expected to sign all official correspondences emanating from the PDP national secretariat, to the Independent National Electoral Commission, in my capacity as the National Secretary of the Peoples Democratic Party.”
Oyinlola may head for court today seeking Tukur’s committal to prison for not complying with the order of the Court of Appeal, which has reinstated him into office.
He might also file a separate brief to restrain the National Disciplinary Committee of the PDP, headed by ex-Minister Umaru Dikko from entertaining any complaint against him.
It was learnt that Oyinlola briefed his legal team yesterday on the next line of action.
A top source, who spoke in confidence with our correspondent, said: “All is set for another round of legal battle, Prince Oyinlola might go to court on Wednesday.
“After briefing his legal team, two issues emerged. They are seeking committal of Tukur and others to prison for disobeying the order of the Court of Appeal, and the need to stop Dikko’s Disciplinary Panel from addressing complaint, if any, against Oyinlola.
“The PDP National Secretary is used to the legal battle, he will not waiver at all.”
Chairman, Senate Committee on Environment and Ecology, Senator Bukola Saraki, yesterday asked the leadership of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to review the suspension of former Osun State Governor Olagunsoye Onyinlola, former Acting National Chairman Alhaji Abubakar Baraje, Dr. Sam Sam Jaja and Ambassador Ibrahim Kazaure from the party.
Saraki, who fielded questions from reporters in Abuja, said the suspension was done in bad taste.
He noted that the action of the party had further united the G7 governors and deepened the crisis in the party.
The former Kwara State governor added that the court ruling that brought Oyinlola back to the party as national secretary was an opportunity for reconciliation.
But, he noted, the opportunity had been lost through the party’s action.
The suspension, he said, would not help the PDP in its effort to resolve the lingering crisis in the party.
Saraki said: “It is a means of circumventing the ruling of the court. We should not take the issue of the rule of law with levity. Since a court has ruled that Oyinlola should resume as secretary of the party, PDP should comply with the judgment of the court.
“These are some of the issues that some of us are angry about. The PDP will be there, long after Oyinlola, long after everybody. We should protect the institution.
“We can’t win always. We would win some; we would lose some. By doing this now, how are we going to help the reconciliation. It will surely not help reconciliation. Some of us thought it was a golden opportunity to begin to reconcile.
“I think the party should review its action and give peace a chance because to suspend key members of a faction and still expect the aggrieved governors to be sympathetic to the cause of the party and be attending their meetings will be difficult and would not help the party.
“Apart from the issue of reconciliation, this cannot help our democracy. The party is an institution that we are all holding in trust. We must all protect that institution not by being emotional or by expressing sentiments.”
Saraki noted that “activities within the next one week or two, will determine the direction of things in the party.”
He added: “The meeting between the G7 governors and the President had been postponed till after the Sallah. The Niger State governor has written the President that his colleagues are ready for the meeting, but I doubt whether the latest scenario would allow such event to hold.
“Where it would lead to, I don’t know. It depends on the action taken by the leadership. The party just played into the hands of those who don’t believe in reconciliation.
“In politics, you win people to your side; you don’t gain anything from losing people. When seven states representing one third of states being controlled by the PDP are aggrieved, they should be taken seriously. The suspension of Oyinlola a day after he was to resume in office was done in bad taste and this would not help the party at all.”
On local government election in Kwara State, Saraki said: “There are evidence to support that the National Executive of the PDP participated in the local government election.
“There are documents to show that they were part of the process. Unfortunately, 24 hours to the election, the National Executive got a lawyer to write a letter saying this is the new list of candidates. How did the list emerge?
“These are some of the actions that we are seeing in the party and before it is too late, this action must stop.”
Suspension in bad taste, says Saraki 
Chairman, Senate Committee on Environment and Ecology, Senator Bukola Saraki, yesterday asked the leadership of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to review the suspension of former Osun State Governor Olagunsoye Onyinlola, former Acting National Chairman Alhaji Abubakar Baraje, Dr. Sam Sam Jaja and Ambassador Ibrahim Kazaure from the party.
Saraki, who fielded questions from reporters in Abuja, said the suspension was done in bad taste.
He noted that the action of the party had further united the G7 governors and deepened the crisis in the party.
The former Kwara State governor added that the court ruling that brought Oyinlola back to the party as national secretary was an opportunity for reconciliation.
But, he noted, the opportunity had been lost through the party’s action.
The suspension, he said, would not help the PDP in its effort to resolve the lingering crisis in the party.
Saraki said: “It is a means of circumventing the ruling of the court. We should not take the issue of the rule of law with levity. Since a court has ruled that Oyinlola should resume as secretary of the party, PDP should comply with the judgment of the court.
“These are some of the issues that some of us are angry about. The PDP will be there, long after Oyinlola, long after everybody. We should protect the institution.
“We can’t win always. We would win some; we would lose some. By doing this now, how are we going to help the reconciliation. It will surely not help reconciliation. Some of us thought it was a golden opportunity to begin to reconcile.
“I think the party should review its action and give peace a chance because to suspend key members of a faction and still expect the aggrieved governors to be sympathetic to the cause of the party and be attending their meetings will be difficult and would not help the party.
“Apart from the issue of reconciliation, this cannot help our democracy. The party is an institution that we are all holding in trust. We must all protect that institution not by being emotional or by expressing sentiments.”
Saraki noted that “activities within the next one week or two, will determine the direction of things in the party.”
He added: “The meeting between the G7 governors and the President had been postponed till after the Sallah. The Niger State governor has written the President that his colleagues are ready for the meeting, but I doubt whether the latest scenario would allow such event to hold.
“Where it would lead to, I don’t know. It depends on the action taken by the leadership. The party just played into the hands of those who don’t believe in reconciliation.
“In politics, you win people to your side; you don’t gain anything from losing people. When seven states representing one third of states being controlled by the PDP are aggrieved, they should be taken seriously. The suspension of Oyinlola a day after he was to resume in office was done in bad taste and this would not help the party at all.”
On local government election in Kwara State, Saraki said: “There are evidence to support that the National Executive of the PDP participated in the local government election.
“There are documents to show that they were part of the process. Unfortunately, 24 hours to the election, the National Executive got a lawyer to write a letter saying this is the new list of candidates. How did the list emerge?
“These are some of the actions that we are seeing in the party and before it is too late, this action must stop.”
