Former Acting National Secretary of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Solomon Onwe has called on party national chairman, Alhaji Bamanga Tukur to reinstate him, as his initial removal is in contradiction of a court order.
In a letter to Tukur, Onwe, who lost his position to the forced mass resignation of PDP national officers after the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) oided their election, argued that ongoing efforts to right perceived wrongs cannot be justified without his reinstatement.
The Federal High Court, Lagos had ruled in April that Tukur “shall purge itself of contempt of this order” by confirming the appointment of the Barrister Solomon Onwe as Acting Secretary of the party and retain him in that position until a new National Secretary is nominated from the Southwest zonal congress and elected in accordance with the constitution of the party.”
“It is, therefore, imperative if the various steps being taken by the party to remedy perceived irregularities is to amount to anything, that Dr. Remi Akinloye be removed immediately and Mr. Solomon Onwe returned to his position as Acting National Secretary in compliance with the court order,” Onwe’s lawyer, Ajibola Oluyede Jonathan of the International Commercial Lawyers & Arbitrators, Onwe wrote.
“Onwe only resigned from his substantive office as Deputy National Secretary (which was one of the positions INEC queried) and not from the office (of National Secretary) which he was merely on an acting capacity.
“The appointment of Dr. Akinloye to replace him was null and void. Therefore, any activity of the party in which Dr. Akinloye participates will also be a nullity, including the forthcoming Southwest Zonal Congress/ Special National Convention.
“Onwe is expected to act as Acting National Secretary until a new nominee from the Southwest Zone of the party is produced to take the position substantively…in order to avoid further citation of party officers for contempt of court and to establish a valid premise for the forthcoming Special National Convention.”
President Goodluck Jonathan, INEC Chairman Attahiru Jega; Chairman, PDP Special Convention, Prof. Jerry Gana; and Chairman, PDP Board of Trustees Chief Tony Anenih were copied in the letter.
Onwe was elected Deputy National Secretary (Southeast) at the last PDP convention in Abuja but was subsequently appointed Acting National Secretary after the court nullified the election of former substantive secretary, Chief Olagunsoye Oyinlola.
