The election of Olagunsoye Oyinlola as the National Secretary of the People’s Democratic Party, was on Friday quashed by a Federal High Court sitting in Abuja.
Delivering judgement on a suit filed by the Chairman of Ogun State PDP, Adebayo Dayo, the Judge, Abdul Kafarati said that the election that brought Oyinlola into office “did not follow due process.”
He said the defendant should not have been a nominee in the first place as two different courts had nullified the congress in which he was selected.
The Judge further held that Oyinlola, a former Governor of Osun State, should immediately vacate office.
Oyinlola’s counsel, Toyose Oyekunle, told newsmen that a notice of appeal and stay of execution had already been filed, adding that his client will not leave office considering that the judgement was under appeal.
Oyekunle said “The whole world saw the PDP National Convention held in Abuja where Prince Olagunsoye Oyinlola was elected National Secretary,” he argued.
“The election was conducted in the open at the Eagle Square Abuja and one wonders how the court arrived at its decision that Prince Oyinlola was elected at the Zonal Congress held in Oshogbo, Osun State”.
The latest ruling is likely to further heighten tension within the party’s leadership.
PDP National Chairman, Bamanga Tukur and Oyinlola have been at loggerheads over the running of affairs, as they mostly disagree on issues. One of such is the ongoing wrangling occasioned by the disputed Adamwa congress.
The party in the meantime is yet to officially react to the court order.
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