“I remain the National Secretary of the PDP, except and until the Supreme Court says otherwise” – Oyinlola
Oladunjoye Opeyemi
The embattled National secretary of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, Prince Olagunsoye Oyinlola a dressed Press today, regarding his purported Suspension from the party by the Bamanga Tukur-led National Working committee.
The Former Governor of Osun State, in his statement, said he heard of his suspension from the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) through the media and decided to make a formal reaction to what he termed “an act of impunity by a section of the party, that is clearly out to ridicule the judiciary, denigrate the rule of law and destroy the very basic foundation of constitutionalism in our country.”
Oyinlola reminded the pressmen of his trials from January 11, this year, when his removal from office was ordered by Justice Abdul Kafarati of the Federal High Court, Abuja, in a suit instituted by a faction of the Ogun state chapter of the party. He said that though he immediately appealed that court verdict, the Bamanga Tukur led PDP swiftly swore in his deputy as acting National Secretary, declaring that the judgement was declaratory, hence its implementation could not be delayed.
He said he was shocked when the party failed to abide by the Judgement of the Federal Appeal Court, overruling that of the Federal High Court and restoring him as PDP National Secretary.
Oyinlola said, “The history of the PDP is one of resistance to dictatorship and impunity. It is also a solid story of robust opposition to all forms of negation of constitutionalism and the rule of law. The PDP is a product of the rule of law and that realisation informed my shock at this blatant assault on our courts, this unfortunate affront against the judiciary, good conscience and morality.
“Gentlemen of the press, I want to say that assuming the Tukur leadership of the PDP felt dissatisfied with the court decision, what should it have done? Shouldn’t it have asked the plaintiffs to appeal the verdict instead of declaring this needless war against the judiciary?”
He also stated sections of the PDP constitution, proving his suspension null and void, as Due process had not been followed in carrying it out, “I wish to invite the attention of Nigerians to the provisions of section 57 of the PDP constitution which states in detail, the procedure for disciplining members of the party.
“Specifically, section 57 (4) states that “where an allegation is made against a member of the party, the Disciplinary Committee shall inform the member in writing of the allegations made against him or her.” Nobody has till date informed me of any wrong doing against my party.
“Again, Section 57 (6) is even more apposite here. It gives the consequences of not giving a member a fair hearing before a disciplinary action is taken against him or her. It states: ” Any decision taken against a member who has not been informed of the charges against him or her, or, has not been given any opportunity of defending himself or herself shall be null and void.”
“He deemed the decision of the NWC futile, saying “Section 57 (7) states: ‘Notwithstanding any other provision relating to discipline, no Executive Committee at any level, except the National Executive Committee, shall entertain any question of discipline as may relate or concern a member of the National Executive Committee, Deputy Governors or members of the National Assembly…’
“That is what our constitution says. I am a member of the NEC and so Tukur’s NWC can only submit a complaint to NEC concerning me or any other member of the party listed above.”
He made known his unhappiness with the way he was being treated by the NWC after having demonstrated his preference for methodical and urbane conduct in office, by spear-heading several peace initiatives and amicable resolution of disputes.
“Among others, we met and discussed my plight a couple of times with the national leader of the PDP, His Excellency, Mr. President, Dr. Goodluck Jonathan, GCFR.
“I also made representations to the Governor Ibrahim Shema Committee set up by PDP Governors to examine the political crises in the South-west zone of the PDP through a memorandum presented to the body. Furthermore, I submitted a memorandum to the Committee headed by the esteemed Chairman of the Board of Trustees of the PDP, Chief Tony Anenih, and the Prof. Jerry Gana panel on the last PDP special national convention, among many other moves to resolve the impasse amicably.
“It could be safely stated that I took adequate steps to register my displeasure at the manner I was shabbily treated by the NWC of the PDP, which went to the extent of withdrawing the appeals filed on my behalf at the Federal High Court, Abuja; and the Lagos Division of the Court of Appeal, with an apparent intention of pushing me out of the PDP at all costs.
“My persecutors owe me an explanation on why I am being unjustly persecuted, and vilified unduly; especially considering the fact that no pronouncement has been made on the representations I have made to various authorities of the party in the past 10 months, aside from my illegal removal from office.
“The causes and effects of the political crises must have been examined by the various bodies that investigated the conducts of all the aggrieved PDP members in relation to the handling of the crises by party leaders. To have resorted to an anomalous decision to suspend an accused without allowing for a fair hearing makes the NWC appear to be a body at the crossroad.
“That decision, which is designed to serve the self-interest of a clique, destroys the very basis of internal democracy in PDP and makes nonsense out of the principles and values which all right-thinking members of the society cherish.”
“It is more than a huge joke and travesty of justice that in the process of attempting to illegally terminate Oyinlola’s membership of the PDP, the PDP NWC violated the party’s constitution by refusing to give me – the accused top official and member of the National Executive Committee of the ruling party a fair hearing, before my purported suspension from the party.
“It is tragic that all these do not portray the actors as being free from destructive bias and an irrational fear of Oyinlola’s penchant for due process. What could be a better proof of their feverish struggle to prevent Oyinlola from operating at the national secretariat than the PDP counsel’s vow to the press last January that ‘Oyinlola will never be allowed to return to office as PDP scribe?'”
The PDP Chieftain maintains his case was not referred to any disciplinary committee as the one set up by the Tukur leadership has not been approved by the NEC as stipulated by the constitution of the party and therefore, cannot exist or try anyone.
He ended the Briefing by saying that he remains the undisputed National Secretary of the PDP, owing to the import of the court of Appeal judgement and his empowerment by the constitution of the party; and that the NWC would have to report him to the National Executive Committee of the party for any wrong-doing, if available.
“I also invite their attention to section 36(a-e) of the PDP constitution which spells out the powers and duties of the National Secretary. I hope they have adverted their minds to the consequences of having illegal persons performing those functions and exercising such powers in clear breach of the law. The only person who can legitimately exercise those functions today and unless the Supreme Court says otherwise is Olagunsoye Oyinlola. I hope and pray they know.
“I am a law-abiding citizen and will always submit to the law. That was why I appealed Justice Kafarati’s verdict. I urge my traducers to also endeavour to have faith in the law and in the judiciary. If they are not satisfied with what the Court of Appeal said on Oyinlola, they have the Supreme Court to approach.
“Gentlemen of the press, I am happy to stress that by the combined effects of the judgement of the Court of Appeal and the provisions of the constitution of our party (particularly section 57), I, Prince Olagunsoye Oyinlola remain the National Secretary of the PDP – except and until the Supreme Court says otherwise, any other contraption from Tukur’s NWC is illegal, null and void.
“Simply put, disobedience of the ruling of a properly constituted Law court leaves a sour taste in the mouth. Gentlemen of the press, no condition is permanent. That is why we all must fear the Creator, in our dealings with fellow human beings. And like I have always maintained, the path of truth may be long, arrival at its destination is, however, definite”, Oyinlola concluded.