Osun PDP defies court order, to proceed with gov primary

The Osun State chapter of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has said it would proceed with the governorship primary slated for Tuesday to pick its flagbearer for the July 16 election.

The Sunday Bisi-led faction of the party, while reacting to the restraining order of an Osun State High Court which directed it to use the list of ward executives elected during the 25th September, 2021 congress, made this known on Saturday.

One Adedokun Ademola and 30 others had, on behalf of other ward executives elected on September 25, 2021, at the ward Congress of the PDP, supervised by ex Osun chairman of the party, Soji Adagunodo, dragged before the party and the Independent National Electoral Commission before the court seeking order recognising them as the authentic delegates that would elect the party’s governorship flag bearer.

After the reading of the motion ex parte and the affidavit filed by Adedokun through his cousel, Edmund Biriomoni, the court, presided over by Justice A. Aderibigbe, ordered that, “Mandatory interim injunction of this court is granted, recognising the ward executives elected on September 25, 2021, in the following wards listed as (a) – (y) on this application as the only authentic and/or authorised elected ward executive officers permitted to vote as delegates at the party’s governorship primary scheduled to hold on March 8, 2022, State Assembly primary, National Assembly primary, Presidential primary respectively, in full compliance with the judgement of the court delivered on November 22, 2021 affirming all actions taken by Hon.

Olasoji Adagunodo, taken as the only valid and lawful actions while he was the chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party, Osun State chapter, which include conduct of ward executive congress on September 25, 2021, pending the determination of motion on notice.”

However, speaking with Sunday PUNCH, Oladele Oluwabamiji, the PDP Director of Media and Publicity in the state, said the party would proceed with the Tuesday primary relying on Supreme Court decision, which says the court cannot dabble into the internal affairs of a political party.

He said, “Such an injunction does not hold water, as far as we are concerned. A Supreme Court declaration about it is very clear that court cannot dabble into the internal affairs of political party.

“We know some elements in the party are just trying to carry out some hatchet job for the APC and they don’t want us to have candidate in the coming election. But we are moving ahead of them. The national body of our party will handle (issue of injunction) and react appropriately. We are going ahead with our primaries on Tuesday.”

-The Punch