Working to the Answer: Democracy on Trial – Oyinlola
The National Secretary of the Peoples Democratic Party, Prince Olagunsoye Oyinlola has stated that the recommendations of the Umaru Dikko Committee will not stand, as ‘’nobody can build something on nothing; or 
falsehood on truth’’.
In a statement signed by his Principal Secretary, Femi Adelegan on Thursday in Abuja, Oyinlola asserted that the Disciplinary Committee does not exist by virtue of the fact that its composition was not ratified by the National Executive Committee of the PDP which is statutorily empowered to approve the composition of the body.
‘’They really worked to the answer’’ and with great speed in their feverish ambition of getting rid of Oyinlola before the hearing of the suit filed by Baraje, Oyinlola, Sam Jaja and Kazaure at an Abuja Federal High Court, challenging the validity of illegalities committed’’.
The statement added that indeed, no sane or decent person would be surprised at the recommendations of the illegally constituted Disciplinary Committee, which from the outset, shouldered a heavy burden of legitimacy, integrity, lack of respect for fair play, principles of natural justice and the Rule of Law.
“It is patently clear, that the Dikko Committee acted under questionable circumstances as if the PDP were a mere mechanical contraption that could be manipulated without respect for laid down rules and regulations. The statement added that the pronouncement of the Dikko Committee is a comical show of the absurd that could only erode whatever remains of the credibility of anybody who decides to circumvent regulations and rebuff a Law court.
“The National Working Committee has again demonstrated its disdain for the Judiciary by spurning court processes and the notification of our counsel, Mr. Awa Kalu, SAN, intimating the party with the pendency of a suit, challenging the existence of the Disciplinary Committee and actions of the National Working Committee in court, on the grounds that the Dikko Committee is illegal and that Oyinlola, Baraje, Jaja and Kazaure were not given a fair hearing by the NWC in a manner that also demonstrates disrespect for the principle of natural justice.
“The development is a comical show of the absurd that could only erode whatever remains of the credibility of anybody who decides to circumvent regulations and rebuff a Law court. To a keen observer, the development would reveal an assault on internal party democracy, left to stand alone and exposed to those who want to subvert democratic processes, and destroy altogether, people who hold contrary views, and are prepared to defend them as guaranteed and enshrined in the extant constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.
“It is patently clear, that the Dikko Committee acted under questionable circumstances as if the PDP were a mere mechanical contraption that could be manipulated without respect for laid down rules and regulations. It is very unfortunate that major stake holders have pretended for too long, as if all is well with the PDP as party members who stand for the truth are being vilified. Those who are familiar with the antics of preachers of dialogue and reconciliation at the national headquarters of PDP, from where discordant tunes are sounding, would smell insincerity in their media statements.
“There have been too many instances of preaching of sermons of peace and reconciliation, while at the same time, offensives are launched against perceived political opponents.
Concerned elements within the party know too well that it would be a formidable task to reconstruct what has been damaged in the party in the last one year of the administration of the national headquarters of the party.
Very obvious is the general feeling that the party needs to be salvaged from its ruins, if it must remain relevant in the scheme of things in this nation. We must never forget that cynical political manipulation and disrespect for rules and regulations can never make an organization great. “Indeed, the questionable manner in which the committee has carried out its commissioned assignment, and the end results of its members’ contributions to the deviant posture of the National Working Committee, which has chosen to disrespect the Judiciary serially, would stand eternally in their records. It is amazing that the Dikko Committee, that parades no fewer than three Lawyers, who are regarded as Officers of the Temple of Justice, and who should champion the need for the NWC to respect the Law Courts, instead compromised absolutely on ethics.
‘’For the avoidance of doubt, ‘The General Council of Bar Regulations’, as published in the Official Gazette of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, states expressly, in the section dealing with ‘’The Lawyer’s Duty In Its Last Analysis’’ that ‘’Lawyers are duty bound to uphold the law; and no service or advice ought to be rendered or given by them to clients, corporate or individual, of any description or to any cause whatsoever, involving disloyalty to the law or bringing disrespect the holder of any judicial office or involving corruption of holders of any public office.
Improper service or advice in such circumstances as aforesaid is unethical and merits strong condemnation as unprofessional conduct….’’. Above all, a lawyer finds his highest honour in a deserved reputation for fidelity to private trust and to public duty, as an honest man and as a patriotic and loyal citizen…’’ ‘’For the sake of our great country, it would be appropriate to call on all citizens to ensure that the principles of natural justice and other basic human rights are safeguarded in our march towards a stable democratic polity.
If it happens that organizations and enlightened citizens that should ideally champion the cause of respect for the Judiciary and the Rule of Law, would turn out to be those deliberately engaging in acts tantamount to disrespect for our law courts, the consequences could be grave for the polity and are better imagined than witnessed’’, the statement said. He said on his my part, in recognition of the need to follow due process and pursue the path of peace, civility and moral rectitude, he will continue to seek remedy at the law courts to protect his God-ordained and fundamental human rights, as a law-abiding citizen of the Federal Republic of Nigeria. He called on all his teeming associates and well-wishers not to be perturbed as a result of the latest development, but enjoined them to pray ceaselessly for PDP and Nigeria.
