PDP

Adejoke Adeleye,Abeokuta

A lawyer to Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Dr. Yemi Oke has emphatically warned  the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) against accepting any list of candidates from any other faction of the party in Ogun State, except the one led by Sikirulai Ogundele.

He stated this yesterday while explaining the court rulings that have been delivered on the tussle over the leadership of the Ogun State chapter of PDP in the last few months to journalists in Abeokuta as well as the recent Supreme Court ruling on the suit. .

The legal practitioner said : “Supreme Court issued and served on INEC, PDP and other parties in appeal filed by the PDP (The Appellant/Applicant) in Suit SC/968/2018 arising from the judgement of Hon. Justice Buba of the FHC, Lagos in FHC/CS/636/2016.

“The PDP filed a Motion on Notice and Affidavit of Urgency of 9 paragraphs and Affidavit in support of 49 paragrapshs with several exhibits. In the Motion, Counsel to the PDP, Dr. Yemi Oke is praying for an Order of the Supreme Court staying the execution of the Judgement obtained from Justice Buba, which the Senator Kashamu-backed Bayo Dayo group has been parading before other FHC Courts in Lagos, Abeokuta and Abuja.

“The basis of this contention was that the Counsel to the then National Caretaker Committee, Dr. Yemi Oke was ruled out of appearance for Alimodu Sheriff’s Counsel while the appeal in PDP v Sheriff was pending at the Supreme Court.

“The Supreme Court has since decided that the Senator Makarfi led National Caretaker Committee is the authentic Exco with power to appoint Counsel to represent it in matters.

“The implication is that, having wrongly denied audience to official counsel to the PDP and matter proceeded (Ex-Parte against PDP) with unathorised counsel who aligned with the Bayo Dayo group, declared his support for their originating processes, proceeded to withdraw the Preliminary and other Objections and processes filed by Dr. Oke for PDP against the suit, and the FHC (per Buba J) hurriedly heard the matter same day PDP Counsel was ruled out of appearance, and gave the now discredited Judgement in favour of the Bayo Dayo the following day; all is set for a reversal by the Apex Court.

“Please recall that the Supreme Court had earlier given similar judgement in PDP vs Sheriff on the subject wherein the suit was listed as one of the several suits pending on PDP leadership tussle then. Similarly, Counsel to PDP, Dr. Oke also drew the attention of the Supreme Court to the fact that of the 5 Respondents, only INEC (3rd Respondent) is standing.

Bayo Dayo and Semiu Sodipo) 1st and 2nd Respondents have been expelled by PDP while the 4th Respondent (Alimodu Sheriff is now in APC).

In conclusion, the legal adviser assured that the Supreme Court judgement is just around the corner, therefore INEC should only recognize and accept list from from Sikirulai Ogundele led executive.