PDP CRISIS: Appeal Court reinstates Oyinlola as National Secretary; PDP said, ‘we are studying judgment’

The political quagmire rocking the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP yesterday took another turn as the Appeal Court sitting in Abuja reinstated Prince Olagunsoye Oyinlola as the party National Secretary, just as the national leadership of the PDP led by Alhaji Bamanga Tukur said it was studying the judgment.

Reacting to the judgment, PDP National Legal Adviser, Victor Kwom disclosed that the party would react and take action at the appropriate time.

Meanwhile, the national Coordinator of PDP Stakehokders Forum, Ikenga Imo Ugochinyere hailed the judgement and described it as a big victory for democracy.

In a text message to Vanguard yesterday, Ugochinyere said, ” the reinstatement of Olagunsoye Onyinlola as the authentic National Secretary of PDP today by the Court of Appeal is a big victory for democracy,rule of law,struggle for restoration of internal party democracy and vindication of the struggles by you and members of new PDP to eradicate the growing culture of impunities inside PDP and the country in general.

“This is a big blow to the imposters whose attempt to hijack d soul of our party has now backfired.Today’s victory is a motivation for us all to finish the ongoing crusade including d support to d legal process to sack Bamanga Tukur which is at advanced stage.We thank God for Oyinlola”

Also reacting, the PDP National Secretary, Prof Wale Oladipo who boasted that he will remain in office pending when the Supreme Court takes final decision on the reinstatement of Oyinlola as the PDP scribe, stressed that the appellants from Ogun state were already heading to the Supreme Court and he will only quit on the orders of the apex court.

He said, “The despondent from Ogun state who took him (Oyinlola) to court in the first place I believe are now in the process of going to Supreme Court, which is the final court. They are exercising their rights to appeal.

“As to my position, nothing has changed. I remain the National Secretary of the party. Supreme Court will have the final say. No cause for alarm”, he emphasized.

It would be recalled that a Federal High Court sitting in Abuja and presided over by Justice Abdul Kafarati on Friday, January 11 nullified the election of Olagunsoye Oyinlola as the National Secretary of the ruling Peoples Democratic Party a suit filed by the Chairman of Ogun State PDP, Adebayo Dayo.

The court had asked that he (Oyinlola) to be put in prison for criminal disobedience of court order, following a suit against him by the party chieftains in Osun State.

The state chapter of the PDP led by its Chairman and Secretary, Chief Adebayo Dayo and Semiu Sodipo, had in their suit, alleged that Oyinlola emerged as the national secretary of the party through what it termed a kangaroo process, alleging that it was perfected by former President Olusegun Obasanjo and former National Vice Chairman, PDP South West, Alhaji Tajudeen Oladipo.

They argued that in view of two separate judgments of a Federal High Court in Lagos that nullified the South-west Zonal congress which produced Oyinlola as candidate, his continued stay in office was illegal, null and void since his candidacy had earlier been voided.

Not happy with the development, Oyinlola, it will be recalled joined the splitter group led by Abubakar Kawu Baraje and he was made the National secretary of the group August 31 st.

Culled from Vanguard