Oyinlola Is the Authentic PDP National Secretary – Court of Appeal
The Court of Appeal, Abuja Judicial Division has nullified the judgement of the Federal High Court Abuja which removed Prince Olagunsoye Oyinlola as the National Secretary of the Peoples Democratic Party.
In the judgement delivered this afternoon, the Judge ruled that Hon. Justice Abdu Kafarati erred in his ruling of January 11, 2013 in which he declared that Prince Oyinlola was not validly elected as the national secretary of the PDP at the National Convention of the party which held on March 24, 2012.
Prince Oyinlola had contested the ruling of the Federal High Court, Abuja on the grounds that the Learned Trial Judge erred by taking a decision that negated the provisions of the PDP Constitution. In its ruling, the appeal court invoking the general power granted it under Section 15 of the Court of Appeal Act 2011, declared that Hon. Justice Kafarati’s ruling was ”an abuse of court process which must not be allowed to continue or stand”. The judge also stated that Justice Kafarati went as far granting reliefs not sought for in the plaintif’s originating summons.
By the Appeal Court ruling, Prince Olagunsoye Oyinlola is the current validly elected national secretary of the PDP. Members of PDP at the party’s national headquarters, when the news filtered in were reported to have jubilated and congratulated themselves on the development. The staff had complained of lack of interest in their welfare since Oyinlola’s exit.PDP staff believe that Oyinlola, whom they view as an easy going and honest administrator played a major role In ensuring that salaries and allowances of PDP staff were reviewed upwards before his exit.
It will be recalled that Justice Abdu Kafarati of the Federal High Court, Abuja declared the election of Prince Oyinlola illegal and ordered that an election be conducted by the South-west zone of the PDP to replace him as the national secretary of the PDP within 21 days.
Following the inability of PDP to conduct the election within 21 days, the Ogun state chapter of the party approached Justice Kafarati’s court for a six month extension of his order which he granted in September 2012, when Prof. Wale Oladipo was nominated contrary to the provision of the party as the national secretary, a move that observers view as highly immoral and at variance with the PDP Constitution.