The Abubakar Baraje-led splinter group of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, yesterday, asked the party’s National Chairman, Alhaji Bamanga Tukur, to swear in the former governor of Osun State, Prince Olagunsoye Onyinola, who was, Wednesday, asked by an Appeal Court to be re-instated as National Secretary of the party.
This is just as PDP has approached the Supreme Court asking the apex court to set aside the judgement of the Abuja Division of the Court of Appeal which re-instated Oyinlola.
Meanwhile, chieftain of the party and Ijaw leader, Chief Edwin Clark has urged the party leadership not to re-instate Prince Oyinlola until he has dumped the new PDP and showed remorse.
In a statement, yesterday, by the National Publicity Secretary of the new PDP, Eze Chukwuemeka Eze, the group noted that with the judgment of the Appeal Court, Bamanga Tukur should pack out of Wadata Plaza as the party’s National Chairman.
The statement said: “With the Court of Appeal reversing the unjust sacking of former Osun State Governor, Prince Olagunsoye Oyinlola, as the National Secretary of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, the days of Alhaji Bamanga Tukur and his illegal National Working Committee, NWC, in the Wadata Plaza headquarters of our great party have become numbered.
“We received this historical judgment rendered yesterday by the Appeal Court, Abuja, through Justice Joseph Tor with great joy and gratitude.
“This judgment has once again reinforced our belief in the judiciary as the bastion of our democracy and the last hope of the common man.
“With this judgment, we hope that very soon our other court cases asking for the dissolution of the Tukur-led NWC would be given the same serious attention to enable us formally take over the reins of our party and restore it to the path of honour, justice and democratic norms which Tukur and his cohorts have bastardised.”
Meanwhile, Oyinlola, in a text message to Vanguard, said that if Tukur actually and truly believes in the rule of law, he should as a matter of urgency comply with the judgment of the Appeal Court the way he did when Justice Kafarati ruled that he should be removed from office by swearing in his deputy, Solomon Onwe.
He said: “ I give glory to God that my stand that I was unjustly removed has been vindicated by the Appeal Court.
“The position of the law and the constitution of PDP on this matter is very clear. I don’t want to pre-empt anybody, but you would remember that PDP immediately complied with the judgement of Justice Kafarati which removed me from office, claiming to be a law abiding organisation.
“I don’t know if there will be a variance of stand now that the appellate court has ruled in favour of me (Oyinlola) that the Kafarati judgement was unfair and must not be allowed to stand. Let’s leave other issues for consideration as events unfold.
“This development further reinforces my belief in the fact that truth is unassailable, and that the path of truth may be long, arrival at its destination is, however, definite.’
Clark’s position
In his reaction to the judgment, elder statesman, Chief E. K. Clark, said the former governor of Osun State must show remorse and dump the G-7 governors and the Baraje group, before he could be re-admitted and sworn in as the scribe of the party.
Chief Clark, who also asked Asiwaji Bola Tinubu to remain in Lagos and leave PDP governors alone, said: “Tinubu is busy dissipating his attention and energy by meddling in the internal affairs of PDP instead of ensuring that the dividends of democracy accrue to the citizens of APC-controlled states.
“Tinubu should be warned to stay clear of PDP’s internal issues and not be a meddle-some interloper.” He also warned that Tukur must stop regular visits to former President Olusegun Obasanjo whom he described as their mentorHe said: “Their regular visit to Chief Olusegun Obasanjo, who is their mentor and from where they draw their inspiration for their organisa-tion, must stop for the party to take a stand on their anti-party activities.
“For instance, their visit to Chief Obasanjo on Monday November 4, after the police intervention at their meeting. “One had expected that a former President of Nigeria and a leader of PDP for eight years and later Chairman of the Board of Trustees of the party, would advise them to drop their evil machination, particularly after the court and the INEC had given their verdict on the activities.”
The group of aggrieved governors are Sule Lamido of Jigawa; Abdulfatah Ahmed of Kwara; Aliyu Babangida of Niger; Aliyu Wamakko of Sokoto; Rabiu Kwankwaso of Kano; and Murtala Nyako of Adamawa, who later formed the Abubakar Baraje-led splitter group with Oyinlola as the National Secretary.
The group also has Governor Chibuike Amaechi in its fold.
Clark, who boasted that the fortune of PDP will not be affected in 2015 presidential election if the G-7 governors and the Baraje group dump the party, however, said Tukur should forgive them if they show remorse.
No comments:
Post a Comment