A Federal High Court , sitting in Ado - Ekiti, Ekiti State,
has restrained the Peoples Democratic Party from barring the Chief Makanjuola
Ogundipe - led South - Wes
t Zonal Executive Committee and the zone ’ s
delegates from the December 9 National Convention of the party .
It also barred the party , its officers, and organs from
allowing the Eddy Olafeso- led group to participate in the convention or submit
any list as South - West delegates .
Olafeso is the South - West zonal chairman of the party
recognised by the national leadership of the party .
Ogundipe , however, told journalists in Abuja on Friday ,
that non - compliance with the court order could affect the outcome of the
December 9 national convention of the party .
He urged the National Caretaker Committee of the party led by
Senator Ahmed Makarfi to “ uphold the rule of law because he ( Makarfi ) is
also a product of the law. ”
Makanjuola brought the court order to the national
headquarters of the party in Abuja on Friday. The court sitting had earlier
taken place on Wednesday.
Named in the suit numbered FHC/ AD/ CS/ 18/ 2017 are: Chief
Makanjuola Ogundipe , Chief Adepegba Otemolu, Lanre Orimoloye, Supo Ijabadeniyi
and Femi Carena.
The defendants are the Independent National Electoral
Commission, PDP, Senator Ahmed Makarfi , Sen . Ben Obi , Eddy Olafeso, Wunmi
Jenyo , Adeola Ogunrinde and Femi Adetola .
Others 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.
Specifically, the court, which was presided over by Justice
Taiwo O . Taiwo , restrained the Makarfi - led executives or their agents from
“ preventing the plaintiffs and other South - West delegates to the PDP
national convention listed in the schedule attached to this originating summons
. ”
The court listed the beneficiaries of the order as Alhaji
Adewole Adeyanju and Senator Buruji Kashamu , adding that they should not be
barred from attending the national convection .
The judge also said that no disciplinary action should be
taken against the plaintiffs “ and other delegates of the party from the South
- West Zone in order to prevent them from participating in the party ’ s
national convention pending the hearing and determination of the motion on
notice.
Justice Taiwo said , “An order of interim injunction is
hereby granted restraining the 5 th to 15th defendants by themselves , their
servants , agents and or privies from participating in the PDP national
convention scheduled to hold on the 9 th of December , 2017 or any other date
during the subsistence of tenure of office of the South -West Zonal Executive
Committee led by the 1 st Plaintiff as members of the South - West delegates of
the party pending the hearing and determination of the motion on notice . ”
Ogundipe said the Senator Makarfi - led NCC and the national
leadership of the party had a duty to prevent impunity and lawlessness if they
were desirous of building a new PDP that would appeal to Nigerians and win
elections in 2019.
He said , “ I say this because Eddy Olafeso and his group
never emerged from a valid South - West Zonal congress. The Federal High Court
, Lagos , in a ruling delivered in Suit No. : FHC/ L/CS/ 605 / 2016 on the 17th
of May , 2016 , the court expressly nullified the sham congress. Till date ,
the order has neither been set aside nor upturned on appeal.
“ It should be further noted that in a final judgment
delivered on the 24th of June, 2016 , the court categorically stated that our
tenure ends in October , 2018 , having been elected at a special zonal congress
held on the 11 th of October , 2014 in Ibadan , the Oyo State capital . The
implication of this is that my executive committee remains the only validly
elected and judicially sanctioned leadership of the party in the South - West .
”
Ogundipe said if the party leadership acted in defiance of
indubitable facts and the Rule of Law, “ it will contaminate the national
convention ”, adding that, “ our leaders should do justice and avoid anything
that can jeopardise our party ’ s chances in 2019. ”
He urged members and leaders of the party in the South - West
to continue to work for the party and mobilise people for membership .
In reaction , Olafeso told our correspondent that the party
was already working hard to discharge the injunction , adding that the national
leadership of the party wished to reposition the PDP.
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