National Secretary of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Prof Wale Oladipo has boasted that he will remain in office until the Supreme Court takes final decision on the reinstatement of dethroned National Secretary and former Governor of Osun State, Chief Olagunsoye Oyinlola.
An Appeal Court sitting in Abuja reinstated Oyinlola as the party’s National Secretary on Wednesday but Oladipo has now revealed that the appellants from Ogun state are already instituting an appeal at the Supreme Court, so he will only quit on the orders of the apex court.
On Friday, 11th January 2013, a Federal High Court sitting in Abuja and presided over by Justice Abdul Kafarati had nullified the election of Olagunsoye Oyinlola as National Secretary of the ruling Peoples Democratic Party in a suit filed by Chairman of Ogun State PDP, Adebayo Dayo. The court had ruled that Oyinlola should be imprisoned for criminal disobedience of court order, following a suit against him by the party chieftains in Osun State.
“The despondent from Ogun state who took him (Oyinlola) to court in the first place I believe are now in the process of going to Supreme Court, which is the final court. They are exercising their rights to appeal”, Oladipo said on Thursday.
“As to my position, nothing has changed. I remain the national secretary of the party. Supreme Court will have the final say. No cause for alarm”.
In the suit against Oyinlola, Chairman and Secretary of the Ogun State chapter, Chief Adebayo Dayo and Semiu Sodipo alleged that his emergence as National Secretary of the party was from a kangaroo process, as it was perfected by former President Olusegun Obasanjo and former National Vice Chairman, PDP South West, Alhaji Tajudeen Oladipo.
They argued since two separate judgments of a Federal High Court in Lagos nullified the South-West Zonal congress that produced Oyinlola as candidate, his continued stay in office was illegal, null and void, especially as since his candidature was earlier voided.
The national leadership of the party led by Alhaji Bamanga Tukur has said it is studying the judgement; while the party’s National Legal Adviser, Victor Kwom said PDP would react and take action at the appropriate time.
