PDP in another worrying situation as court order threatens national convention

The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) may have found itself in another worrying situation ahead of its December 9, national convention.

A Federal High Court sitting in Ado-Ekiti, Ekiti State, had asked the party not to recognise its new South West zonal executive committee.

It also ordered the Senator Ahmed Makarfi led National Caretaker Committee (NEC) not to bar the Chief Makanjuola Ogundipe-led executive committee of the zone and the zone’s delegates at the party last national convention.

The PDP had during its Special Non-elective National Convention on August 12, 2017 dissolved the Ogundipe-led executive committee of the zone and some states executive committee like Ogun State.

The part had during that convention set up a new committee for the South West zone led by Eddy Olafeso.

But in his ruling last Wednesday, Justice Taiwo O. Taiwo, held that the PDP, its officers, and organs must not allow the Olafeso-led group to participate in its convention or submit any list as South-West delegates.

Ogundipe, who brought the court order to the national headquarters of the PDP in Abuja on Friday, told newsmen that a failure of the party to comply with the court order is capable of negatively affecting the outcome of the party’s December 9 convention.

He called on Makarfi to “uphold the rule of law because he (Makarfi) is also a product of the law.”
Applicants in the suit numbered FHC/AD/CS/18/2017 are Chief Makanjuola Ogundipe, Chief Adepegba Otemolu, Lanre Orimoloye, Supo Ijabadeniyi and Femi Carena.

The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), PDP, Senator Ahmed Makarfi, Sen. Ben Obi, Eddy Olafeso, Wunmi Jenyo, Adeola Ogunrinde and Femi Adetola, are the defendants.

Other defendants are Ojo Williams, Fasiu Bakenne, Philip Aivohji, Mrs. Oluwawumi Oshinroluke, Biliaminu Ogundele, Femi, Makinde, the Inspector General of Police and Assistant Inspector General of Police, Zone 2, Osogbo, Commissioner of Police, Ondo State, and the Department of State Services and State Security Service, Ondo State.

Senator Buruji Kashamu and Alhaji Adewole Adeyanju were among those listed as beneficiaries of the order, who must not be barred from attending the national convection by the PDP.

Meanwhile, Justice Ibrahim Buba of the Federal High Court in Lagos on Friday withdrew from the Ogun State PDP leadership tussle that emanated from the sacking of the state executive committee by Makarfi led NEC at the party’s last convention.

Announcing his withdrawal from the suit marked FHC/L/CS/1556/17 in the open court, Justice Buba explained that his action was sequel to a petition dated October 18, 2017, written to the Chief Judge of the Federal High Court, Justice Abdu Kafarati, against him.

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The petition he referred to was entitled, “Petition Against Handling of Suit FHC/L/CS/LC56/2017: Adeyanju & ORS vs INEC, PDP & ORS by Justice Ibrahim N. Buba,” and was signed by the PDP National Vice-Chairman, South-West Zone, Dr. Eddy Olafeso.

The court premises on Friday was thrown into chaos as protesters besieged it with different placards insisting that the judge withdraw from the case.

Some of the placards carried by the protesters read: “Justice Buba is Senator Buruji Kashamu’s agent”; “Is Justice Buba bigger than the Supreme Court?”; “Justice Buba is unfit to dispense justice”; “Save us from the wickedness of Justice Buba” and “Justice for sale in Buba’s court”.

 

 

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